Let the World Crash
by Reinao Tanaka
Summary: Hana has left her home in search of Itachi. With Konoha-nin tracking her and unrest stirring within the Akatsuki, will the two manage to restore their relationship, or will everything crash around them? SEQUEL to Dance with the Devil. ItaHana
1. Find Me

This story is the sequel to Dance with the Devil. If you haven't read that one, I would advise you to do so first.

To the readers of Nagareboshi: I apologize for the lack of updates. College is wiping me out this semester. I should have believed them when they said sophomore year is a lot harder. Anyway, since I already have this story mostly written, I'll be updating this in place of Nagareboshi until I get some buffer chapters written. Hope you enjoy this story!

Disclaimer: Kishimoto-sama owns Naruto. Skillet owns "A Little More" from which the title and song lyrics are taken.

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**Let the World Crash**

'_You can find me, you can find me,_

_You can find me anywhere.'_

Chapter One

"Deidara-senpai!" the obnoxiously cheerful voice had the blond Akatsuki member gritting all three sets of teeth.

He raked a hand through his long hair, turning to face his partner. The masked ninja was practically dancing in excitement, his gloved hands clasped together in front of him.

"Tobi is a good boy, Deidara-senpai," Tobi added.

Deidara fought the urge to strangle his partner. There were times when he desperately missed arguing with Sasori over the true definition of art. His blue eyes narrowed in on the single hole in Tobi's mask, an obnoxiously bright orange that had no place on a ninja of any sort, especially not on an S-class missing-nin. When Tobi continued to prance about like he was standing on hot coals, the blond nin surrendered to his violent urges. Tobi never saw the blow coming until he was laid out on the ground. He lifted a hand to rub at his masked head.

"Is Tobi not a good boy, Deidara-senpai? Tobi didn't interrupt you this morning, even though you spent over an hour fixing your hair. Tobi thought it was a waste of time, since it still looks the same as it did when Deidara-senpai woke up, but..." for once, Tobi trailed off upon seeing the growing expression of rage in his partner's eyes.

He scooted backwards awkwardly on his elbows and feet as Deidara took a menacing step toward him.

"Tobi did not mean to anger Deidara-senpai! Tobi just wanted to inform him that someone was coming," he said quickly.

The blond stopped his advance, expression contorting in a darker scowl.

"Someone is coming after us and you just now decide to inform me, yeah?" he growled.

"Oh no, Deidara-senpai. The stranger is only heading to the base, not following us. Tobi is not stupid," the masked ninja said defensively.

Deidara could argue that, but now was not the time. One hand sank into the pouch which contained his clay, while he turned his head in the direction Tobi had come from. His left eye narrowed behind the scope which covered it, as though it could pierce through the trees dividing him from the intruder.

"How far away was he?" the blond asked.

"Actually it was a she, Deidara-senpai. Tobi didn't think-" the masked nin began.

"Good. That's my job, yeah. Now, lead me to _her_. She should be stopped before she gets any closer to the base, yeah," Deidara commanded.

Tobi visibly deflated as he rose to his feet.

"Yes, Deidara-senpai," he said softly.

The blond ignored the slight flicker of guilt at the dejection oozing from his partner's very posture. It wasn't proper for an Akatsuki member to wear his heart on his sleeve as Tobi did after all. Deidara opened a hand, the mouth contained in the palm spitting out a tiny bird made of clay. It fluttered from his palm and, with a puff of smoke, more than tripled in size. Deidara leapt easily to its back, training his scope on the forest floor as Tobi vanished beneath the ground. The masked nin made certain to leave a tiny trail of disturbed earth for his partner to follow.

A few minutes later, he popped from the earth. Deidara gracefully leapt from his bird and landed on the ground beside his partner. Tobi pointed to the tree branches above them.

"She should pass right there, senpai," he said.

The blond nodded, "Wait underground. I'll be ready to greet her with a bang...you can take care of whatever is left of her, yeah."

"Yes, Deidara-senpai," Tobi said.

With a single hand sign, he faded back into the earth. Deidara leapt from branch to branch until he found one with an excellent view of the area his partner had pointed out. He crouched down there, glancing toward the sky to make sure his clay bird was hidden. Whoever thought they could waltz up to Akatsuki headquarters was in for a big surprise.

Not surprisingly, his first glimpse of her was through his scope. She was moving fast, even for a shinobi. He would have to time this perfectly to make sure she received the brunt of the blast. His bird began moving into position and his fingers were forming into the first seal, when his regular eye caught sigh of her. The rapid flow of seals slowed. He knew this woman and...was that an Akatsuki cloak she was carrying? His blue eyes narrowed, then widened as he recognized her. In an instant, he was running beside her.

"What brings you so far from home, Leaflet?" he asked.

Deidara leapt to the side as a kunai sliced through the spot where he had been running. She crouched before him, panting and still holding the kunai defensively in front of her.

"You...were with Itachi," she said.

"You remember me, yeah. But you didn't answer my question," he said.

Just then, Tobi materialized from the tree trunk beside the Leaf kunoichi. He wasn't quite as quick to move as his partner had been, and thus received a gash in his cloak. He glanced down at it and, had he not been wearing a mask, the blond was sure there would be a pout on the flamboyant nin's face.

"You know her, senpai?" Tobi asked.

Deidara was silent, continuing to observe the girl. Her brown eyes moved restlessly from him to Tobi, her defensive posture not relaxing for an instant. The Akatsuki cloak he had noticed was held tightly in her free hand. Interesting. She clutched it like it was a lifeline of some sort.

"I'm trying to find Itachi," she said.

Had Deidara not been watching the kunoichi so closely, he would have noticed that his partner momentarily stiffened at the mention of the Uchiha's name. The masked nin recovered an instant later, bouncing sightly with excitement.

"You want to see Itachi-san? Tobi can take you to him! Tobi's a good boy," he said.

"Tobi's going to be a dead boy if he doesn't keep his mouth shut, yeah," Deidara muttered, "We can take you to him, but once you enter our base...I doubt you'll come out alive, Leaflet."

"You wouldn't let me leave alive even now. I have nothing to lose," the kunoichi responded boldly.

Deidara's lips curved in a slight smirk. He liked this girl's spirit. Although, the more he saw of it the less he could imagine the stoic Itachi ever becoming close to this kunoichi.

'_They say opposites attract, yeah,'_ he thought.

"Follow me," he said aloud, heading toward the base.

He felt the kunoichi fall into step behind and to his right, which was quite considerate of her. That way, he could keep an eye on her using his peripheral vision. Though, as a chattering Tobi fell into step beside her, the blond reflected that he could just follow her movements by tracking Tobi's voice. One day, the idiot masked nin was going to get himself killed. Deidara hoped he would be there to see it.

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Feedback is appreciated!


	2. Standing There

Sorry about the lack of consistent updates. College is wreaking havoc upon my writing time. Anyway, hope you enjoy this next chapter!

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Let the World Crash

'_Take a look over your shoulder._

_I'll be standing there.'_

Chapter Two

Hana found herself insanely happy for the meaningless chatter Tobi provided. It was a way to keep her mind off all that she had left behind..and the fact that, of her free will, she was walking into the lair of Konoha's number one enemies. She took a breath of the forest air around her, noting the silence. Her enhanced nose couldn't detect any life-forms in this area, aside from the two missing-nin she traveled with. Though, she didn't blame the wildlife for staying far away from the Akatsuki base.

One moment, she was walking through the forest, the next stone walls were closing in around her. She hadn't even sensed the genjutsu that must be cloaking the entrance to the base. It was a further sign of how out of her element she was. Her hand fisted around the black and red cloak she carried. She was not about to turn back when she was so close, even if she could. The lithe woman studied the walls around her, noting signs that they had been created using ninjutsu. The blond nin's headband identified him as originally from Iwagakure, in the Stone Country.

"Were you the one who made this place?" she asked.

"I did," the voice right beside her ear caused her to jump and slam into Tobi, sending them both to the ground in a flurry of tangled limbs.

From her position on top the whining masked nin, she looked up at a man unlike any she had ever seen before. His body was half black and half white, and he possessed flat golden eyes. The thing which truly set him apart, however, was the leaves which curled around his body, as though they were part of him. She wrinkled her nose. He even smelled like a plant...and blood, but all the Akatsuki smelled of that, even the hyper nin beneath her.

"Tobi would greet Zetsu-san properly, but he is unable to," Tobi whined.

Hana started to rise to her feet, but froze when the plant nin licked his lips. Deidara suddenly stood between them, reaching down to haul her to her feet. He made no move to help his partner, who was clumsily attempting to get his own feet beneath him.

"No eating her, yeah. She is Itachi's guest," the blond stated.

Her brown eyes flickered to her protector. _Eat her?_ Was he...serious? Hana felt suddenly ill. As though sensing this, or perhaps just wanting to get away from the plant nin, Deidara dragged her down the corridor. Tobi was still lying on the floor when Hana dared a glance back. She turned her head back to Deidara, frowning as the smell of ocean suddenly carried to her.

"You must be the one distracting Itachi-san," a deep voice rumbled from behind her.

This time her startled leap brought her into contact with Deidara, who staggered but managed to keep them both on their feet. She turned to see who had surprised her and looked up, and up, and up. This nin was surprisingly tall, with blue skin and what looked like gills on his cheeks. His small eyes were white and his teeth pointed, making him look like a shark.

"Kisame-san, do you know where Itachi is?" the blond asked.

His foot was throbbing where the kunoichi had stomped on it and he was in no mood to drag her all over the base to find the Sharingan user.

"I'm here," the silky tenor was touched with a barely-detectable hint of irritation.

"She's all yours, yeah. Good luck, Leaflet," Deidara said before limping down the hallway.

Kisame circled around toward the voice, cold eyes evaluating her as he went. Hana stood frozen, suddenly afraid to face the man she had followed all this way.

"She doesn't look like your type, Itachi-san. You usually go for the sophisticated kind," the shark nin said.

His partner did not respond, and Kisame took the not-so-subtle hint. Itachi wanted to be alone with the girl. The shark nin pitied her for a moment before walking back the way he had come.

Silence filled the hallway, broken only by the quiet sounds they made as they breathed. Slowly, Hana turned her head to look over her shoulder. Itachi stood there, wrapped in a new Akatsuki cloak which was buttoned all the way up to hide the lower half of his face. His ruby eyes were fixed on her, easily as cold as the white eyes of his partner had been.

"Why did you come?" he asked quietly.

.o0o.o0o.

It physically hurt somewhere deep inside his chest, seeing how the darkness in which he lived had quenched some of the vibrancy that had first drawn him to her. She was frightened, that much he could tell, but her brown eyes were filled with quiet determination.

"I never promised to forget about you," she said, "And I couldn't even if I tried."

He half-way turned from her, to hide the way the heart he denied existed had leaped with hope.

"You don't belong in this place," he said.

Boldly, she moved closer to him. He stilled as her calloused hands lifted, ruby eyes watching detachedly as she unhooked the top buttons of his cloak. She didn't stop until the entirety of his face was exposed to her perusal. One of her hands moved as though to touch his face, then stopped as she changed her mind.

"I belong wherever you are, Itachi," she whispered.

The air between them became suddenly tense, as though the very walls had heard her and now listened for his response. He closed the few inches that separated them, wrapping one of his arms around her waist. An instant later, they stood in his bedroom. He didn't give her time to take in their new surroundings, instead crowding her space and backing her into a corner.

"You don't know what you're committing yourself to," he said lowly.

She was being an impulsive fool--or in other words, an Inuzuka. He had to make her see that this was no place for her. He...didn't want to lose her.

"I made my choice when I left Konoha. I chose you-" she said.

He knew she would have said more had he given her the chance, but something in him had snapped at the words. It was his turn to be impulsive, just for once. Itachi bent his head and caught her lips with his. There was no gentleness in him; he crushed his mouth to hers as though trying to meld them together. Hana responded with equal passion, hands lifting to thread through his hair. Her fingers tangled in the tie which held the long strands back and she yanked it out, freeing the raven strands. His own hands had slipped around her waist, surprisingly careful in contrast to the fierceness of his kiss.

The missing nin pulled back, releasing a shuddering breath as he rested his forehead against hers. The world had lost some of its focus, meaning that he had deactivated his Sharingan sometime during the kiss. He didn't even know when.

"You have a dangerous affect on me, Inuzuka Hana," he admitted softly

The words seemed to bring her back to earth, for her brown eyes focused on him at last.

"Bad dangerous or good dangerous?" she asked.

He brushed a kiss against the spot where his forehead had been resting before turning to hunt for his hair tie. The long strands were tickling his nose and falling into his eyes. He located it and glanced back at her, finding that she had taken his silence in the way it was meant.

He wasn't sure yet.

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Please take the time to click the little blue button on the bottom left and leave me a review to let me know what you thought!

**Akai-sora:** Yes, Tobi will have a bigger role in this story. He's such a fun character. :D

**Bookworm007:** It's definitely going to be interesting!

**SmallButPowerful:** It's not just in Naruto. I've seen opposites attract in real life too.

**Greensapphire:** Thanks for the encouragement. Glad you're enjoying the story.

**Animegirl1o1:** Thanks for the review!


	3. Hidden Words

Warning: If you don't know the truth about Tobi, don't read.

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Let the World Crash

'_Hidden in our words,_

_It sometimes ain't enough.'_

Chapter Three

Itachi twisted in the air, crimson eyes closed as he flung no less than twenty kunai in quick succession. He flipped and landed in a crouch, not opening his eyes until the thud of metal hitting wood had ended. Each weapon had embedded itself into the center of the target at which it had been aimed. As he straightened from his bent position, one of the kunai thunked to the ground.

"You are distracted, Itachi," a low voice rumbled.

The lean Uchiha silently moved to gather his weapons, not responding. With a flicker of movement, the speaker stood before him, blocking his way. Muscled arms folded across a broad chest while crimson eyes narrowed with displeasure.

"It is nothing, Madara-sama," Itachi said.

His smooth tone was more polite than usual. He, better than anyone, understood the thin line between genius and insanity that his teacher tread, and thus knew not to anger the Uchiha clan founder more than necessary.

"It is that girl. Deidara seems convinced you actually feel for her," Madara said, watching his protege intently.

Itachi was careful to maintain his usual neutral expression. Any sign of weakness and Hana would be as dead as the rest of his clan.

"She is a diversion, Madara-sama. Nothing more," he said.

"See that she does not divert you too much," the man instructed loftily.

Outwardly as stoic as usual, but inwardly torn, Itachi returned to his room. Hana was sound asleep on his bed and he felt a strange surge of jealousy at the content little smile on her lips. He sat down on the futon beside her lithe form, running a hand through her brown hair. He fed off the peace which surrounded her sleeping figure, letting it soothe his wild thoughts.

'_Is she worth the risk?'_ he asked himself yet again.

If he decided to keep her, she would turn his world inside out. Everything he had fought for these past seven years would be nullified, for giving her his heart would prove that he had one. Even he had forgotten that a beating, _feeling_ heart still resided within his chest, until she had reentered his life and stirred up old memories.

'_Never forget me,'_ she had said.

It seemed he couldn't. She was branded into his soul so that she could affect him like no other. Inuzuka Hana even made him consider giving up his quest for power and leaving Akatsuki. She stirred beneath his touch and he withdrew his hand, but it was too late. Sleepy brown eyes blinked up at him, then her smile widened. He felt his heart rate leap at the sight but spoke coolly to cover its traitorous reaction.

"i want you to stay away from Tobi," he instructed.

She frowned, "He seemed harmless."

"None of the Akatsuki are 'harmless,' Hana. You shouldn't seek out any of them, but especially not Tobi," he repeated.

Her smile turned playful.

"Does that mean I should avoid you too, Ita-kun?" she teased.

He banished the urge to bend down and kiss that smile off her lips, keeping his expression firm.

"Promise me," he insisted.

Wordlessly, she raised her right hand, pinky finger extended, and wiggled her eyebrows at him. He scowled at her, mutely refusing. Her lower lip extended into a pretend pout that made his heart beat even faster. To hide the way his gaze was being drawn to her lips, he locked his own pinky with hers.

"I promise, Ita-kun," she said.

Something in her cheerful expression suddenly rang false, making Itachi's rampaging hormones die a swift death. He cocked his head, studying her with onyx eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

She sighed, "It made me think of all the times Kiba and I made pinky-promises. I swore once that I would always be there for him, never leave him to face the world on his own."

"If you kept that promise, he would never be an Inuzuka. Your clan may be intensely loyal, but you are also fiercely independent. He must learn at some time to stand alone," the Uchiha said.

Hana nodded, but her eyes were still sad at the thought of her younger brother. She knew he would not take her defection well.

.oOo.oOo.

Tsunade jumped guiltily as the door to her office slammed open. She shoved the jug of sake into a drawer as she glanced up at the intruder, expecting an irate Shizune demanding to know if she was finished her paperwork yet. Instead, she found Inuzuka Kiba stalking toward her desk. The young man was all but snarling with rage and, behind him, Akamaru was radiating a mixture of his master's anger and his own concern.

"She's gone," Kiba stated flatly.

When he only received a less-than-sober stare in return, he slammed his fist onto her desk, knocking over a large pile of papers. As they fluttered around him, he leaned forward and raised his tone as though that would make the Hokage understand.

"She went after that idiot Uchiha!" he shouted.

Tsunade's amber eyes widened with quickly-returning sobriety. She leaned back in her chair, glancing blankly at the wood of her desk--or what could be seen beneath the endless reports.

"You're certain she didn't just go out for a walk?" she tried.

"If so, she left the Haimaru Sankyodai behind...and this," Kiba withdrew the hand he had slammed onto the table, revealing Hana's headband.

Tsunade picked it up, cradling the metal and fabric in one calloused hand. She tilted it so that the light ran across the ugly scar carved over the leaf symbol. She fingered the damp fabric.

"Tears?" she questioned.

Kiba nodded, his canines audibly grinding against his other teeth. The knowledge that his older sister had been conflicted about her decision to become a traitor did not assuage his anger in any way. She had not only betrayed Konoha, she had betrayed her family...betrayed _him_. He just didn't understand how she could love that murderer more than her own brother.

"I want to go after her," he said suddenly.

He would drag her back and force her to realize how stupid she had been, even if he had to beat it out of her. He suddenly understood Naruto's stubborn determination to bring Sasuke back to Konoha. Kiba felt the same way about his older sister.

"Out of the question," Tsunade answered immediately.

He was too close to the situation, too emotional. As she met his distraught brown eyes, she was only further convinced. It would be better to send someone who could complete the mission with a cool head and not let duty be overcome by feelings or filial loyalty.

"I will go after her with or without permission," Kiba stated, tone rebellious.

Looking into his face, she abruptly saw Naruto instead, saw his determination reflected in the young Inuzuka's stance. She sighed in defeat.

"Very well, but I will be sending Hatake Kakashi and..." she had to pause to see what other jounin was available and skilled enough for this mission, "Shiranui Genma with you. They will meet you at the gate in two hours."

Kiba nodded his gratitude and left the Hokage's office as swiftly as he had come.

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Thanks to **akai-sora, greensapphire, SmallButPowerful, Cheese Maiden, **and **animegirl1o1** for reviewing last chapter! Please keep the reviews coming! College is still crazy and your reviews are the only thing keeping me inspired to write right now, so I really appreciate them!

Oh, this weekend (maybe sooner) I'll be posting another SasuHina one-shot. I wanted to have it done sooner, but it's becoming this monster that doesn't want to end. Anyway, it's very different from what I've written before, so I hope you'll check it out!


	4. Good Enough

Sorry for the long wait...I was agonizing over this chapter. Still think it's too abrupt, but didn't want to leave you hanging any longer. Please take a look at my profile for info on my updating schedule.

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Let the World Crash

'_Sometimes hard to find _

_A reason good enough.'_

Chapter Four

"I see you survived the night, yeah," Deidara's voice intruded on Hana's moment of solitude.

She lifted her head to find him standing in the doorway, blue eyes glinting with humor. The Inuzuka set aside her chopsticks. Itachi's warning was fresh in her mind, but she was hungry and wasn't quite ready to surrender her breakfast. The decision was made for her when Tobi bounced into the dining area, knocking into his partner as he entered.

"Good morning, Deidara-senpai, Hana-san!" he almost sang.

The blond Akatsuki's humor seemed to vanish and he scowled at the masked nin.

"It was," he grumbled.

Hana hid a smile behind her hand. The interactions between the two reminded her of her own family. She was already missing them, especially her little brother. Tobi suddenly plopped down beside her. His head tilted innocently as he looked over at her.

"So, what is Hana-san going to do today?" he chirped.

'_I promised Itachi,'_ she thought, _'I'm sure he had a reason for asking.'_

"I'm not sure. Please excuse me," she said, gathering her leftover food from the table and rising.

"Do you have to go?" Tobi asked.

His tone was still bright, but it sounded false to her ears. She shivered lightly in reaction, but kept the smile on her face. Deidara, who was on his way to the kitchen, smacked Tobi over the head. His blue eyes narrowed at his partner.

"It's none of your business, yeah. Stop being an idiot," he said.

He paused there, gaze fixing on Hana. She watched him blankly for a moment before she realized that he wanted her to enter the kitchen first. A faint blush colored her face as she moved forward. She could smell Deidara's scent of clay and explosives behind her, but couldn't sense his chakra at all. It was rather unsettling. As she put her food away, Deidara rummaged through the leftovers in the refrigerator. He made a face, pulling out a container filled with bluish-green mold.

"Gross, yeah," he muttered. He checked the label and replaced the container gingerly. He added under his breath, "Maybe Tobi'll eat it. _That_ would be art."

Hana shook her head, returning her attention to her own food. She barely restrained a flinch when she suddenly registered another presence right beside her. The silver-haired nin watched her with intense red eyes.

"Are you a virgin?" he asked suddenly.

Her brown eyes widened and she simply gaped at him.

"Today I have to present a virgin sacrifice to Jashin. It would make my task simpler if I did not have to search for one," he explained.

Deidara placed a (reassuring?) arm around her shoulders. He tugged her away from the other Akatsuki member. She could sense his chakra now, as he readied himself for a fight.

"You'll have to look elsewhere, yeah," he said.

Another few steps and they were out of the kitchen. Deidara let out a sigh, but didn't remove his hand from around her.

"I don't know why I stuck my neck out for you like that. I hate Itachi, yeah. But he should keep better track of you if he wants you alive at the end of the day," the blond sighed.

"I am keeping an eye on her," the smooth voice startled even Deidara.

He whipped his head around to see Itachi watching them with narrowed crimson eyes. Those same eyes dropped down to the arm that was still around Hana's shoulders, the faint edge to the crimson gaze suggesting that Kakuzu would need to sew Deidara's arm on again if it was not promptly removed from the Inuzuka. The blond nin's arm fell limply to his side. He stepped away from the brunette for good measure.

"I save the Leaflet twice and he wants to rip my arm off, yeah. Some gratitude," he mumbled to himself.

"Thank you, Deidara," Hana said, for it was clear Itachi was in his 'brooding genius' mode.

He waved it off, "Don't mention it, Leaflet. The hunter nin might think I'm going soft."

She watched him retreat down the hallway with a slight smile still on her face. Itachi watched her, his crimson eyes unreadable, for the most part anyway. When Hana glanced back at him, she could tell by the tiny frown on his lips that he was unhappy. She folded her arms across her chest, meeting his gaze head-on.

"I like him," she stated.

"He was part of the team that went after the Ichibi. Did you know he used the Kazekage's body as a seat?" the low question was obviously intended to rattle her.

She scowled at him.

"And you murdered your clan. That doesn't stop me from loving you," she said boldly.

In a second, he was a bare inch away from her, his gaze burning into hers. His words when they came, were so low that even she had to strain to hear them.

"Have a care. The walls have ears," he whispered.

Hana's scowl did not lessen. She was not ashamed of the fact that she was in love with her childhood friend. She would shout it from the rooftops of Konoha! Actually...her scowl faded to chagrin. The citizens of the Leaf Village would hang her if they knew the truth, though she might as well have shouted it from the rooftops since her decision to leave Konoha spoke the truth just as loudly. If it meant her death in Konoha, what might it mean here? As Itachi kept reminding her, these were not normal men. They were all S-class criminals, powerful and heartless. No, not heartless...or at least Itachi wasn't. Still, there appeared to be no love lost between the members. She would be considered a weakness, a chink in the invulnerable Uchiha's armor. As always, Itachi was right. Her head slumped, forehead meeting his chest.

"Does being right all the time ever get old?" she muttered.

She felt his chest rumble in laughter beneath her head, but the sound did not pass his lips. He pushed her away from him. She met his gaze, finding crimson had faded to amused onyx.

"No," he responded, smug smirk curving his thin lips, "Walk with me."

She obeyed the command, a sigh of relief exiting her lips when they emerged into the daylight. Her brown eyes closed and she grinned, breathing deeply of the fresh air. Itachi watched her with an inscrutable expression on his face. The missions he was sent on often lasted weeks, if not months. It would be far too dangerous to take her with him. But her free spirit would wither if he caged her in his room. He forced himself to look away from her. When he spoke, his voice revealed none of his inner struggle.

"You should never have followed me here," he stated.

He heard her turn to face him but didn't meet her gaze. Even so, he could feel the force of her frown.

"Back to that again, Ita-kun? Don't you think I agonized over my decision?" she growled.

"You're an Inuzuka. You thrive off impulsive decisions," he returned sardonically.

It was the wrong thing to say. He felt her anger surge, but allowed her to fist her hands in his cloak and shove him back against the nearest tree. One of her calloused hands remained clenched in the black fabric, while the other tore at the buttons on the cloak until his face was exposed to her.

"Yes, I am an Inuzuka. Since you're a genius, you should remember that _family_ is the most important thing to us. Leaving Konoha was not as im-pul-s-sive..." her voice was strangled off by tears.

She threw a punch at his face, but he easily caught it. She narrowed watery brown eyes at him.

"B-blast it, Itachi! You're turning me into an emotional wr-wreck," she growled.

"You were always an emotional wreck, Hana," he said coldly, denying the part of him that wanted to wipe away her tears.

She wrenched her hand away from his grasp. Stepping back from him, she gathered her anger like a shield around her.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, "What about us?"

Madara would kill her if he kept her. If his teacher didn't, either the confinement while he was on missions or one of the other Akatsuki members would.

"There is no 'us.' You are chasing a childish fantasy that could never happen in reality," he said.

"You kissed me," she said more quietly.

"When I was thirteen, I discovered it was the fastest way to shut you up," he stated.

He was prepared for her to scream at him, or to attack him, or--however unlikely--to break down in tears. When she rushed at him, he raised his hands to fend off the blows that were sure to follow. She slipped through his guard, though he attributed that to the fact that his Sharingan was not activated, but what she did then caught him totally off guard. Her hands once again fisted in his cloak as her lips crashed against his. He could taste her tears and it took all of his vaunted self-control not to respond. He stood rigidly until she pulled back, her chest heaving.

"I...love you, Itachi," she whispered.

"That's not a good enough reason. I want you to leave. Go back to Konoha where you belong," he said.

"I don't belong there anymore!" she screamed at him.

He hid the flinch caused by the hopeless look in her eyes, then squelched the desire to run after her when she fled into the forest. Still, he couldn't seem to stop himself from staring at the spot where she had vanished from sight. At least, not until someone else came to stand beside him.

"That was quite a show. I think you were fighting yourself more than you were fighting her," Madara said.

The faint edge of sadistic delight in his low voice twisted Itachi's stomach.

"There was no battle, Madara-sama. As I said before, she was a diversion that outlived her usefulness," he said.

"Then why didn't you kill her?" the Uchiha founder asked before walking away.

Itachi's head turned to watch him leave. The world suddenly sharpened as his Mangekyou activated. He closed his eyes, but knew his teacher would have sensed the surge of killing-intent. Was this how Sasuke felt toward him? He glanced one last time in the direction Hana had fled before following Madara into the base.

It was best this way.

* * *

Please don't hate Ita-kun...or the authoress for that matter. Y'all should know by now that I'm a sucker for happy endings and that this will all work out...somehow. -evil laugh-

In the meantime, please REVIEW! Thanks a bunch!


	5. Crashing Down

Let the World Crash

'_Let the world_

_Come crashing down.'_

Chapter Five

Genma found Kakashi standing in front of the memorial stone thirty minutes before the two jounin were scheduled to meet Kiba at the main gate. He noted the pack sitting ready by the silver-haired man's feet with a sense of relief. At least they stood a chance of getting there on time, he thought. He approached Kakashi and stopped beside him. Respectfully, he chose to let the other man be the first to speak. He shifted somewhat impatiently after several moments in which the silence was broken only by the sigh of the wind and the far-off chirping of birds.

"It seems the Uchihas will never stop causing trouble for Konoha," Kakashi said at last, voice soft.

His tone was distant, but his single eye was more alert than Genma had seen it in a long while. The older jounin shifted his ever-present senbon over to the other side of his mouth. He wisely decided to keep the smart remark that 'at least there are only two of them now' to himself. Genma was glad of the decision an instant later when Kakashi's fingertip traced the name of Uchiha Obito. The silver-haired jounin shouldered his pack.

"Let's go," he said, "Don't want Kiba-kun to charge off alone."

Genma easily kept pace with his fellow jounin as they raced through the village. Neither of them was surprised to find the Inuzuka already waiting, surrounded by Akamaru and the Haimaru Sankyodai. The canine quartet was patiently sitting in the shade cast by the wall, tongues lolling in the heat of middmorning. Kiba's pacing and frequent glances toward the road proved Kakashi's guess that the chuunin was considering leaving without them was accurate. His brown eyes were filled with impatience.

"Finally! Let's go," he said, starting toward the open gate.

Genma grabbed the collar of the chuunin's jacket.

"Hold up, pup. You aren't the leader of our little hunting expedition," he chided.

Kiba jerked free of the older man's hold, growling low in his throat at being called a pup. Akamaru rose to his feet, an anxious whine escaping his throat as he looked between his master and the other jounin. The tension between the two brown-haired men quickly rose to such a level that even the nearby civilians could feel it. Thankfully, Kakashi--orange book in hand--chose that moment to step in.

"We don't have time for games," he said, tone remaining cheerful, "Kiba, you and the nin-dogs will take point. Genma and I will alternate as rear guard. I hope I don't need to remind you that silence is vital."

The other two humans nodded, while the dogs rose and stretched to limber themselves up. At a single nod from Kakashi, the four dogs were off and running, the humans not far behind. Muscles bunched beneath coarse fur as the dogs leaped into the trees, the humans following suit. The group paused a moment, Akamaru and the Haimaru Sankyodai sniffing amongst the branches. One of the brothers released a low howl and the others gathered around him, whining in eagerness. Once their noses were full of Hana's scent, they moved off. All seven fell silent as they traveled, save for the tapping of shoes and claws on the branches and the occasional rustle of leaves as they sped by.

-0-o-0-

Hana wasn't certain how far she had fled before coming to her senses. She dropped to the ground, crouching in the cover of the leaves as her mind sorted through the facts.

One: the kiss. Itachi had said that he had merely been trying to shut her up. No doubt he had intended to prick her pride...and had succeeded admirably. But she knew that his kiss had not been feigned. It had been a genuine reaction to her words, meaning that his later words were a cover to how he really felt.

Two: his warning about Tobi and the rest of the Akatsuki. He had wanted to protect her from them. Even Deidara had mentioned how much he hated Itachi, although he had helped her. As much as she hated to admit it, if Itachi really loved her, than she was the weak point in his armor. Anyone who wanted to hurt him would only have to overcome her.

Three: their argument. If, as she had just reasoned, he really did love her and if he knew she was his weakness--and he must have figured all this out since he was far more intelligent than she--then it would explain why he sought to drive her away. All these years he had been a law unto himself, the heartless genius who slaughtered his clan. Keeping her around, while not only endangering the woman he loved, would also destroy the mystique he had created around himself. He was trying to protect them both the best way he knew.

Well, she would just have to go back and show him that his way was not the only way.

She resolutely turned around. Her nose twitched as a smell was caught in the shifting breeze. It smelled almost like Itachi, lightning-charged air mingled with the metallic scent of blood. But there was something off about the smell. There was another smell layered beneath the lighting and death, so faint that it barely registered. Hesitantly, she stepped toward it, lifting her head to draw in a deeper lungful of air.

"Hana," the smooth tenor made her flinch.

His tone was so familiar, so soothing...but there was an edge to her name that had her recoiling. Her gaze locked with crimson Sharingan and she went utterly still.

"Itachi...?" she whispered.

A dark, mirthless chuckle.

"Not quite," the man said, at last stepping into the light.

He resembled Itachi so closely that her first thought was that he somehow had a twin. Ever so slowly, her peripheral vision widened to take in the Sound clothing he wore, the bitterness in his gaze that spoke of emotion long suppressed. Her heart dropped.

"Sasuke," she said quietly.

He said nothing in acknowledgment of her recognition. She thought suddenly of her earlier realization that, in order to harm Itachi, the best way was to go through her. Brown eyes widened in horror. She needed to get away! But her legs wouldn't move. She was like a bird cowering beneath the gaze of a devouring serpent.

That was it!

The smell that lingered beneath the Itachi-scent was that of the cold death which remained around a snake's lair.

"Is this her? I thought she'd be prettier, Sasuke-kun. I guess _he_ doesn't have your excellent taste," a female voice whined from behind Sasuke.

Hana caught a glimpse of a red-haired girl from her peripheral vision. She wasn't hurt by the girl's words, for she knew she was not pretty. Kami only knew why Itachi liked her. Sasuke's gaze remained level on hers and she caught the flicker of annoyance which passed through his eyes.

"You know what to do, Karin," he stated.

"Right...go to Akatsuki headquarters and tell lover-boy that dog-girl's life is forfeit unless he faces you. Isn't that right, Sasuke-kun?" she purred.

There was a sadistic delight in her eyes at the way Hana winced at the plan. It faded somewhat when the younger Uchiha only grunted. She stepped closer, laying a hand on his shoulder. Her fingers caressed the muscles hidden beneath the fabric, deliberately ignoring how he tensed under her touch.

"If he doesn't show, can I be the one to kill her?" she asked.

His gaze shifted to meet hers for a split-second, their crimson depths filling her with an overwhelming wave of killing intent. She shuddered under the intensity of his Sharingan, hand dropping limply back to her side. Sasuke's eyes turned back to Hana, to find that she had taken full advantage of his lapse of concentration. Her lithe frame was rapidly disappearing into the trees.

"Go," he growled at Karin before moving to pursue his captive.

The red-head was so infuriating! He had taken her with him only because she was the most trustworthy messenger out of his followers. Jugo was too likely to fall into berserker mode and Suigetsu was too likely to get lost in his obsession to fight Hoshigaki Kisame. Karin was a devoted fangirl whose primary reason for existence was to obey him. She would follow his orders to the letter, if only she could stop flirting with and touching him. It was because of her that he had temporarily lost his hold on the Inuzuka...but it really didn't matter.

Hana was the key to Itachi and there was no way he would let her go.

He flickered into existence right in front of her. She had to stop running so quickly that her feet slid out from under her and she fell to the ground. Her eyes carefully avoided his own.

"I would prefer not to harm you until after that man has made his decision," Sasuke stated.

She rolled to the side and darted off in another direction. All her senses were focused in on her pursuer, but it did no good. One instant he was a safe distance behind her, the next his breath was fluttering her long hair. A surge of electricity prickled the hair on her nape as a buzzing noise deafened her sensitive ears. She twisted away from him. His fingertips barely brushed her spine and a jolt of electricity raced through her. She hit the ground hard, limbs going numb. Her brown eyes struggled to stay open, meeting Sasuke's dispassionate gaze. The image of him frayed on the edges, darkening to black as her eyelids helplessly slid closed.

* * *

Thanks for reading. Now please REVIEW! To help, I've come up with a couple questions. You can answer one of them, or all of them, or none of them, but maybe they'll get you thinking.

1. Who is the hero? Itachi (the murderer), Sasuke (who is only trying to avenge his family), or our intrepid group of Konoha nin?

2. What do YOU think Sasuke has planned?

3. Will Itachi give up his pride to rescue Hana, or do you think his pursuit of power will be more important to him?

Now, go click the little button on the left and tell me what you think!

**greensapphire:** I'm glad Hidan made you laugh. He had just been introduced in the anime when I wrote the last chap and I couldn't resist throwing him in.

**animegirl1o1:** No Konan/Pein in this story. I only watch the anime, so I shy away from using characters I don't know that well. Maybe later on, after they've been introduced better, I'll be able to include them in a story.

**Cheese Maiden:** Madara considered that, but then he'd have to put up with the fuss of raising a baby (eww...diapers), or if he waited a bit longer, a toddler. No...much better to just keep the old model and work on getting his claws into Sasuke as well.

Thanks to **Music Lover Always**, **akai-sora**, **SmallButPowerful**, and **Hana13** for reviewing!


	6. Building Up

Sorry for the late update. There are only about three weeks left in this semester, so life is fun right now. :D

Btw, I feel the need to point out that Hana is not a damsel-in-distress. This story places her mainly around a bunch of S-class shinobi, so she might seem weak, but she's really just out of her league. Put her amongst normal ninja and she is a very capable kunoichi.

* * *

Let the World Crash

'_Don't suffocate day after day,_

_It's building up.'_

Chapter Six

_Sasuke sat at the end of the pier where his father had shown him the Uchiha clan's famous Katon no jutsu. Small legs dangled limply down over the water. The setting sun shone directly into his eyes, but the child did not look away. Instead, he squinted into the flaming sphere, trying to remember his father's presence behind him as Fugaku actually devoted time to his youngest son. For just these few seconds, he wanted to pretend that his life was still normal, that he still adored his older brother and that his mother was waiting at home for he and his father to return from training. _

_He wanted to imagine that the massacre had never happened._

_A shoe scuffed along the wooden dock behind him, the action clearly meant to alert him of the newcomer's presence. He turned his head to glare at whoever had intruded, angry that his daydream had faded along with the setting sun. Where the brilliant sphere had lit up the sky, now only faint purple gave testament to the sun which had slid below the horizon. His glare faltered when he recognized Inuzuka Hana. The brunette had been one of Itachi's friends, so what was she doing here? She didn't say a word as she settled down beside him. While his feet hung still over the water, hers swung with the restless energy which characterized all of her clan. She followed his gaze out toward the sunset's afterglow._

_The silence between them was almost comfortable. In the weeks since the massacre, Sasuke had been besieged by people desperate to offer him their condolences, people who dared say that they knew what he was going through. The boy had hated it, since he knew none of them had even seen their entire family killed by one of their own in the space of a single night. The insincerity of their words had turned his stomach. Hana was the first person to simply sit beside him and not offer any useless words. _

_He appreciated it._

_He hated that he appreciated it._

_He had been trying to alienate himself from everyone around him, yet the older girl had just stepped inside his protective barriers without him even realizing. Was this how she befriended his aloof brother? He stiffened at the thought. He couldn't let one of _that man's_ friends slip through his guard._

"_I hate him," he stated._

_The words had been calculated to cut. When she looked at him through sad brown eyes, he knew he had succeeded. But she still didn't leave him alone. Uncontrollable emotion surged through his small body._

"_I __hate__ him!" he screamed._

_She lifted the arm closest to him, wordlessly drawing him. He collapsed against her lithe body and buried his face against her shoulder. Sobs poured out of him, the force of his sorrow shaking the young boy. Her arm closed around him and was shortly joined by her other one. The kunoichi held him the same way his mother once had, though he could feel tears that were not his own dampening his hair._

_The sky was completely dark by the time they separated, both discretely trying to wipe away their tears. They parted without a word spoken between them. She returned to her home and family, while he went back to the deserted Uchiha compound. He avoided her after that. Together, they could have eased each other's pain. Sasuke didn't want that._

_He wanted revenge._

.o0o.o0o.

Sasuke stirred the fire with a stick, eyeing the unconscious kunoichi who lay a short distance from where he crouched. How ironic that the one person who understood his pain, who might have mended his shattered heart, would instead be the key to his revenge. He knew his hated brother was in love with Hana. He had figured it out some time ago and had been keeping tabs on her whereabouts. This was the first time she had left the village and been vulnerable enough to take.

He had no doubt that he had Itachi to thank for the brunette lying by the campfire. He knew she had gone after her lover and, just as clearly, he had sent her away. If she hadn't been so distressed by whatever Itachi had said to her, then it would have been much more difficult to capture the capable kunoichi.

'_You always called me foolish, Itachi. But in the end you sent the person you were trying to protect right into a trap. Now your bonds will be what causes your destruction at my hands,'_ he thought.

He rose from his crouch, walking over to Hana's side and kneeling beside her. Her long hair--come loose from its tie during her flight through the forest--hid her face from his view. He raised a long-fingered hand and brushed it aside. The brown locks were surprisingly soft considering her otherwise rough exterior. Calloused fingers traced the fang tattoo on one of her cheeks, onyx eyes distant.

Sasuke was banking on his belief that Itachi would not leave Hana to her fate. She was the one person with whom the genius had not broken his bonds. He cared enough about to her to break her heart and send her away to keep her safe, so surely he would come to rescue her.

His thumb rubbed against her cheek, so deep in his thoughts that he barely noticed the action.

However, if Itachi did not conform to his expectations, which was quite possible, then Sasuke had a back-up plan. Killing his brother was not his only goal, after all. No, there was also his desire to restore his clan. His gaze focused back on the unconscious woman's face.

She was not beautiful. Her features were harsh and her skin calloused...but Sasuke had different criteria for the woman he wanted to bear his heirs.

The woman had to be a talented ninja, which Hana was.

She had to be someone who would not allow politics to harm her children the way his own mother had. Sasuke had no doubt that Hana would be fiercely protective of her children. Family loyalty was bred into the Inuzuka, after all.

She had to be someone he could tolerate. He barely knew Hana, but he did remember their encounter on the lake when he was a child. She had instinctively known what he needed and had been there for him even when he tried to force her away with cutting words. If she could still do that, then they would be able to get along.

Also, the mixture of Inuzuka and Uchiha blood would create a ninja like no other. Along with the powerful Sharingan, their children would possess the enhanced senses of the dog clan. They would be able to see through any enemy and, if their sight failed, then their sense of smell or hearing would guide them.

Hana stirred beneath his touch. A hint of crimson bled into dispassionate onyx eyes. It would be easy to take advantage of her now. She would be disoriented after the electricity he had used to knock her unconscious. He would only need to hypnotize her into believing he was Itachi. But he recalled her arms around his small, shuddering form and her tears mingling with his as the sun set over the lake. The Sharingan faded. Instead, he applied another jolt of electricity that would keep her unconscious until dawn. A short while later, he was glad of his decision.

"I know you're there, Kakashi," he said.

The silver-haired jounin dropped from the tree where he had been concealed. Sasuke was oddly gratified to see that his former teacher was wary enough of his skill to expose his own Sharingan.

"I've come to collect Hana," he said.

Sasuke's dark eyes turned back to the trees. A sardonic smile tilted his thin lips as he said the words he knew would antagonize at least one of the shinobi that remained hidden.

"You and what army?" he sneered.

Kiba jumped to the ground, followed closely by Akamaru and the Haimaru Sankyodai. Hana's three canines were intently focused on her prone form, but they knew better than to move toward her when an enemy stood between them. Sasuke's eyes lingered for a moment on the trees. There was still another ninja lurking in them. His gaze turned back to the male Inuzuka when he responded to Sasuke's previous statement.

"This one!" Kiba shouted, "Give back my sister, traitor."

"She is a missing-nin like me. She will remain here," the Uchiha replied.

"Hana does not have to remain one...and neither do you, Sasuke-kun," the jounin said, adding the familiar suffix to remind the young man of the history between them. When the Uchiha's eyes narrowed, Kakashi continued, "Revenge isn't worth what you have given up--your village, your humanity, your team."

"I am so close and you would have me give up now?" Sasuke growled.

"Yes! Killing your brother won't bring-" the jounin began.

"I'm too close," he interrupted.

Kakashi tried a different tack, "I know what you have been through. I lost my parents when I was a child too."

The silver-haired man was opening himself up to his former student, making himself vulnerable. He never talked about his past. Even Sasuke remembered that from his days as a genin in Konoha. The missing-nin he had become though, saw only the vulnerability.

"That's not the same," he sneered, "Your father killed _himself_. You didn't have to watch your brother slaughter your family." He gave a mirthless laugh at the shock in Kakashi's eyes. "Orochimaru told me. I'm surprised you even became a ninja with such a shameful lineage as that."

Kakashi's face had become nearly as pale as his hair. Sasuke knew his words had cut deeply, and he was glad of it. Kiba turned from the jounin to the missing-nin, anger flaring in his brown eyes.

"Leave him alone," he snarled.

Sasuke ignored him, onyx eyes fixed on Kakashi.

"I am not you. I will never be you. So stop trying to mold me in your image, _sensei_," the respectful title was twisted into a grievous insult by Sasuke's cold tone, "I am an Avenger. Nothing more. Nothing less."

"Enough, otouto," the weary voice spun Sasuke around and made the Konoha nin stiffen.

Itachi stood there just behind Hana's prone form. The lines on either side of his nose were carved even more deeply than usual. Sasuke felt a surge of adrenaline rush through his body.

Itachi had come.

It was time to settle the score once and for all.

* * *

And again, sorry for the cliffhanger! I'm going to try to have the next chapter ready for Friday, but no guarantees.

Questions for this chapter:

What do you think of Sasuke now? Do you sympathize with him, or think he's a jerk?

What do you see happening in the upcoming battle between Sasuke and Itachi? Will the Konoha nin get involved?

Will Hana regain consciousness in time to do anything?

**2lazy1login:** There is some SasuHana for you. Some very analytical, one-sided SasuHana, but SasuHana nonetheless. :D

Thanks to **akai-sora**, **animegirl100**, **SmallButPowerful**, **kiwi4me**, **Cheese Maiden**, and **animecool100** for reviewing last chapter!

Please give the review button in the center of the page some love!


	7. Strong Enough

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sama. My evil brain belongs to me, but please don't kill me for it.

* * *

Let the World Crash

'_When you're feeling weak,_

_You know I'm strong enough.'_

Chapter Seven

The two brothers faced each other without moving. They were nearly twins--both unnaturally handsome, both dark-haired and pale-skinned, and both with eyes the color of blood. Itachi, in his black and crimson cloak, appeared like a devil with Sasuke playing the role of avenging angel in his white shirt. Unsurprisingly, it was the younger brother who spoke first.

"What happened to Karin?" he asked.

"Hidan needed a sacrifice," Itachi answered.

He wouldn't have paid any attention to the scene, save that she was screaming for him. The red-head had gasped out her message then looked up at him, utterly confident that she would now be allowed to return to her 'Sasuke-kun.' Itachi had left her to the not-so-tender mercies of his fellow Akatsuki member. No doubt she was already dead. Sasuke absorbed the information with a slight nod. He hadn't really expected her to return alive anyway. He had hoped in a way that the obnoxious kunoichi wouldn't come back.

"Another death on your head," he said.

Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly, "You were the one to send her to her death, otouto."

The avenger slid a kunai from the pouch at his side, dangling it loosely from his fingertips.

"She was a tool, just like this weapon. I've severed my bonds, Itachi, like you told me to...but you never broke yours!" Sasuke hissed.

His hand moved in a blur of motion, sending the kunai toward Hana's limp form with deadly accuracy. With his Sharingan already activated, it was child's play for Itachi to surge forward and snatch the kunai right out of the air before it got close to the unconscious kunoichi. The action, however, got the result Sasuke was aiming for. With the formation of a single hand sign, the trap he had set earlier activated. The seals placed in a square flared as they sprang to life, creating a cage of crackling energy that swiftly started to contract towards the captive.

Genma flickered into existence beside Hana, gathering the lithe woman in his arms and darting away before either of the Uchiha brothers took exception to his interference. He landed on a tree branch behind the other Konoha nin, leaning Hana back against the tree trunk. He formed a series of hand seals to activate an earth jutsu, causing one of the thicker branches to wrap around the unconscious kunoichi. It would hold her in place, even if she struggled. Kiba's gaze had followed the two and now his brown eyes hardened when he thought Genma was harming his sister. He leaped to the branch where the senbon-wielding jounin knelt.

"Oi, what are you doing to my sister?" he demanded.

"She chose Itachi once before...do you really want her to get involved in that?" Genma asked, nodding toward the clearing.

The chuunin followed his gaze to the energy cage which trapped Itachi, with Sasuke quietly waiting just outside it. He shook his head.

"No," he said quietly.

"Good, then stay here and watch her. Kakashi and I will watch them," he said, suiting word to action as he joined the silver-haired jounin on the forest floor.

.o0o.o0o.

Meanwhile, Itachi flung the kunai Sasuke had thrown at Hana toward one of the walls caging him. The weapon disintegrated upon contact. He cast a glance toward the ground, but he could feel the energy burning just beneath the grass. He was trapped within a perfect box that was slowly closing in on him. His eyes met Sasuke's through the crackling wall as the younger Uchiha formed one final seal. The energy within the walls crackled loose, filling the inside of the cage. A cry of pain was ripped from Itachi's lips as the bolts shot through his body. He collapsed to the ground, body jerking every time the energy touched it. Sasuke's hands lowered and the energy faded away, leaving only the smell of burnt flesh and smoke rising from Itachi's body. He prodded it with a sandaled foot, only to have it vanish with a puff of smoke. He growled with rage, spinning to scan the forest.

"Face me, Itachi!" he screamed.

Within the shelter of the trees, Itachi's face paled. His hand tightened on the trunk it rested against, knuckles turning white. He had forced his clone to hold substance even after it would have usually vanished to keep his younger brother believing that it really was him for as long as possible. His plan had worked as he expected it to, save for the fact that he now held the memory of being burned to death, along with a phantom echo of the pain his clone had felt. Crimson eyes narrowed.

Those idiot Konoha nin had not taken the opportunity he presented to run with Hana. He would have to confront Sasuke in order to keep him from going after her again and really hurting her this time. Straightening, he cloaked his chakra and flash-stepped toward the clearing. He paused within the shadows of the forest, watching as Sasuke hunted for him. There was insanity within those crimson eyes, mixed with a despair and desperation that drove a knife of regret into Itachi's chest. He had done that to his younger brother. he was the one who drove him to this extreme.

"I'll kill her...is that what you want? Her life for yours?" Sasuke said, head still turning in search of his hated brother.

Kakashi and Genma stiffened as Sasuke turned in their direction. Lightning crackled at his fingertips as he summoned Chidori to his hand. He took a step toward the Konoha nin. Suddenly, a warm hand curled around his wrist. A low voice breathed in his ear.

"You are right, otouto. It is past time to end this," Itachi whispered.

With a cry of unadulterated rage, Sasuke whirled and shoved the Chidori into his brother's stomach. The clone vanished in smoke that momentarily obscured his vision. He barely drew his chokuto in time to counter Itachi's shorter kodachi. The blades screeched against each other as the brothers fought for dominance. When neither of them gave ground, the swords separated only to clash again within the space of a heartbeat. At Kakashi's side, Genma squinted in an attempt to make out the blurred figures. He glanced at his friend, who was following the fight with his Sharingan eye.

"Who is winning?" he asked.

Kakashi shook his head.

"Itachi isn't using the Mangekyou. Their skill with the three tomoe form seems to be even," Kakashi responded.

Genma's eye widened. Only two and a half years ago, the confrontation between the two brothers had left Sasuke in the hospital for days. From what he had heard, Itachi had done that even though he barely moved. The younger Uchiha must have improved rapidly for him to be able to match the clan prodigy in so short a time. As though reading Genma's mind, Kakashi shook his head.

"Something is wrong with Itachi. He's lacking his usual grace," he said quietly.

The brothers separated, facing each other from opposite sides of the clearing. Sasuke's white shirt was ripped and stained with blood in places. Itachi appeared to be unharmed, but there were darker patches on his black cloak that hinted he was not as untouched as he seemed. His face was deathly pale against the darkness of his clothes and his face was shining with sweat. Despite his injuries, Sasuke wasn't even panting. They ran at each other and again the clang of swords filled the clearing. Then, instead of the ringing clash, there was a dull thunk. Itachi's kodachi went spinning off into the forest. As Sasuke slashed at his unarmed brother, Itachi managed to catch his wrist and twist the chokuto from his grasp. His hold suddenly loosened and his eyes turned warily toward the forest. Sasuke took full advantage of the lapse in his brother's concentration. He wrenched his arm from Itachi's grasp and punched Itachi in the stomach as hard as he could. The sickening crack of bone filled the clearing as the elder Uchiha folded around his brother's arm. They remained like that for a frozen moment before Itachi coughed up blood and slid to the ground. Sasuke fell on him punching and kicking with no regard to finesse. Kakashi and Genma watched in shock as Itachi limply allowed himself to be used as a punching bag, not even trying to defend himself now.

Kiba's eyes were drawn from the scene when he heard a soft groan from where his sister lay. He turned his head in time to see her brown eyes flutter open. They were glazed with confusion for only a moment when she found she could not move, but the unmistakable sound of a beating quickly cleared her senses. Her nostrils flared with the scent of Itachi's blood. She didn't even focus on her brother. Instead her eyes went immediately to the two Uchihas. She yanked against the tree but it held firm. Her head was still spinning from Sasuke's jutsu, so she lacked the concentration to put up a real struggle.

Sasuke suddenly stopped, taking a step back from his brother.

"Get up," he growled.

The elder Uchiha struggled to get to his feet. The way he held himself clearly showed that a few of his ribs were broken. His eyes were their natural onyx shade and clouded with pain. His proud head lowered in quiet defeat as he waited for what Sasuke would do. The air filled with the crackle of Chidori. Hana jerked against her restraints as Sasuke surged forward.

"Itachi!" she screamed.

In that moment, the sun rose above the horizon and flooded the sky with a crimson dawn.

* * *

Please don't kill me. I promise to update Monday. I would update sooner, but this weekend is going to be crazy busy.

Note: According to folklore, a red dawn means that blood has been spilled during the night.

Questions for this chapter:

1. -gasp- Is Itachi really dead?

2. What in the Narutoverse could have distracted Itachi in the middle of the fight?

3. Do you readers think I am evil? (This one is really important for my self-image since I've always aspired to be a supervillain. I want to know if I've succeeded. :D)

**SmallButPowerful:** I really did make Sasuke a rear end, didn't I? As I hope is becoming clear in this chapter, he is actually very mentally unstable. We might even get to see him go completely insane, but that would be giving away my plot. :D

Thanks to **greensapphire, PretendingxPepper, Cheese Maiden, animegirl1o1, kiwi4me, **and **akai-sora** for reviewing last chapter.

Everyone who reviews gets a piece of pumpkin pie in celebration of Thanksgiving this coming Thursday...because I am thankful for my awesome reviewers!!


	8. Never Leave

Sorry the update is a little late. I wrote myself into a corner and had to figure out how to get out of it. :D Anyway, here is the next installment. Hope you enjoy!

Note: Look for another update on Friday.

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sama. "A Little More" belongs to Skillet.

Warning: Chapter contains mild action-violence.

* * *

Let the World Crash

'_I'll stand beside you,_

_Never leave you, through it all.'_

Chapter Eight

Kakashi sank to his knees, faint sparks of Chidori still flashing through his shattered and bloody shoulder. Itachi's onyx eyes had widened with shock. Sasuke too was completely stunned. This was not what was supposed to happen. Kakashi was _his_ sensei. Why had he saved Itachi? He wasn't aware he had spoken his thoughts aloud until Kakashi lifted his head. With one onyx eye and one Sharingan eye, he seemed a perfect mix of the brothers save for his silver hair. After meeting Sasuke's gaze, he glanced over his shoulder at Itachi.

"I won't see Obito's clan destroy itself. It is past time he was told the truth," the jounin said.

"No!" Itachi protested sharply, a strange look in his eyes.

Was that...fear?

Kakashi ignored the objection as he turned back to the younger Uchiha.

"It was not a massacre to gain power. It was an order," he said.

Itachi bowed his head so that his long hair fell into his eyes, avoiding Sasuke's questioning gaze.

"The clan planned to overthrow the Hokage. Their plot was discovered before it could be put into action and the council ordered Itachi to destroy them all," Kakashi said.

Sasuke's world was shifting on its axis again and he fought against it, not wanting to lose the protective shield of his anger.

"How do you know all this?" he demanded.

The jounin sighed, "Because I was their first choice for the mission. They were certain of my loyalty to Konoha, but they weren't as sure that Itachi would choose the Sandaime over his own father, the clan head."

Sasuke grabbed hold of the chance to justify his hatred of Itachi. He glared at his older brother.

"Why didn't _you_ refuse?" he asked.

Itachi closed his eyes.

"If I had, then they would have found someone else. If I was the one to do it, then I could set my terms. I could save you from sharing their fate," he explained.

"I would rather have died that day!" Sasuke shouted. His rage drained away as he added in a whisper, "Rather death than what I have become."

The trio of Konoha nin at the edge of the clearing strained their ears in an attempt to make out what the other three were discussing. Other than Sasuke's shout, it was proving to be a useless endeavor. Even the enhanced senses of the two Inuzuka couldn't make out anything beyond the murmur of voices. Hana did note the way Itachi's face paled after his younger brother's outburst, but other than that the man was impossible for even her to read.

For a moment, Sasuke's red eyes were completely sane.

"Why everyone? What about Teyaki-ojisan and Uruchi-obasan?" he asked quietly.

"Because they were afraid," a deep voice interrupted.

Itachi flinched as they all turned their attention to the newcomer. A man clothed in an Akatsuki cloak stepped into the clearing, lifting a gloved hand to the orange mask covering his face. He pulled it off to reveal the same aristocratic features possessed by the two Uchiha brothers. Mangekyou Sharingan spun in his crimson eyes as he focused the considerable weight of his attention on Sasuke. He continued in that deep, soothing voice that lulled a person into believing whatever he said.

"You see, Sasuke-kun, that was not the first time our clan had tried to gain freedom from the Hokage's oppressive power. Rather than make a deal with the Uchiha clan and risk giving up their power, the Hokage and his elders decided to just kill all of them and get rid of the problem that way. As your brother said, he made a deal with them in order to save your life, but in exchange he was forced to become the villain in your eyes, so that they could use you against him," he said.

It made sense, in a terrible way.

"Don't let them use you, Sasuke. _They _are the ones responsible for the murder of your clan, not your brother. Join me, and I will help you gain revenge on those who deserve it," Madara added, seeing the teenager wavering.

Itachi moved between the two, ignoring Madara in favor of his brother.

"Don't listen to him, Sasuke. He is the one who wants to use you. He wants you to kill Uzumaki Naruto and gain the Magekyou, so that he can take your eyes when his own wear out, the same way he once took his brother's eyes," Itachi stated.

Sasuke focused on the last part of what his older brother had said. He remembered hearing rumors that Itachi was losing his sight from using the Mangekyou so often. After all, it had always been his brother urging him to follow in his footsteps. It had been Itachi who said he could only face him when he had the same eyes.

"Is _that_ why you kept me alive?" he asked, voice trembling. Itachi started to shake his head and Sasuke lost it. He shouted, "Enough lies, aniki! Tell me...the truth..."

His voice broke at the end and he had to lower his head to hide his tears. He was so confused. Everything he thought he knew was a lie. He had been so sure this would end today, but now he didn't even know how to end it.

It was the 'aniki' that broke Itachi's heart. For so long his brother had hated him, had ignored the ties of their blood in favor of revenge. But now...now he had called him 'brother' for the first time since he realized it was Itachi who killed their parents.

"No, otouto-" he began.

"Sasuke," Madara interrupted.

The teenager closed his eyes, shaking his head. Too many voices were echoing inside his head: his mother, his father, Naruto, Kakashi, Itachi, Orochimaru, Madara. He couldn't think through it all. He took a step backward, opening his eyes to look at his brother. His onyx eyes were those of the confused and frightened child he had been the night of the massacre.

It was Itachi's chance...and he took full advantage of it.

In the space of a heartbeat, his own eyes had bled to red and he captured Sasuke within them. They held gazes for a long, drawn-out moment, then Sasuke's eyes rolled back and his limp body crashed to the ground. Itachi wavered on his feet, eyes fading back to onyx, then his body followed that of his younger brother.

Madara walked further into the clearing, his attention focused on the two unconscious Uchiha. Such foolish descendants he had. One so focused on protecting his brother that he exposed both of them to danger without realizing it; the other so easily swayed by the words of others and by his own emotions that it was a wonder he had not broken down before this. Despite their weaknesses, these two were the cumulation of generations of developing his bloodline. They were the best of his offspring, and for that reason he would spare them both. The brothers still needed to be molded into his image. After all these years, he had thought Itachi would have bent to his will, but it seemed Sasuke gave the elder brother the strength to resist. Once the younger brother fell, Itachi would be certain to follow. He suddenly felt a strange pressure against his chest and his eyes lifted from their scrutiny of the brothers. He gazed directly into another Mangekyou Sharingan eye...and realized that he had underestimated both Itachi and Hatake Kakashi. It was the last thought the Uchiha clan founder would ever have.

The air around Madara spun into a vortex, distorting his torso. He had been so focused on his descendants that he had not noticed the technique until it was far too late to dodge. The technique ended with a strange, sucking sound before space returned to normal. Madara stood there for a moment, his proud head lifted and crimson eyes burning as though it didn't matter that only a gaping hole remained where his heart should have been. His head lowered as his body collapsed in a crumpled heap.

Kakashi's eye returned to the normal stage of Sharingan before he raised a shaky hand to cover it with his forehead protector. He turned his head to nod toward Genma, then he allowed himself to fall the rest of the way to the ground. The other jounin was next to him in a heartbeat, bending down to feel for a pulse. He did the same for the other three collapsed nin before returning to the tree.

"The Akatsuki member is dead. The other three are unconscious," he stated.

His eyes darted toward Hana. Clearly, he had already done the math. It would take all three of them to get the two Uchiha and Kakashi back to Konoha.

"I will take Itachi. Kiba, you ta-" he continued.

"Not going to happen. I will take Itachi," Hana said, defiant despite her position restrained against the tree.

She too had done the math, and she knew that Genma needed her cooperation. The brown-haired jounin glared at her, biting down so hard on his senbon that it cracked. He spit the needle out before he answered.

"Hana, Kakashi will _die_ if we don't get him to Konoha soon," he stated, voice hard.

She smiled as sweetly as she could under the circumstances, though it was more just baring her fangs.

"I'm not stopping you, Shiranui. You and Kiba take Hatake and Sasuke back to Konoha. Itachi will stay with me, where he will be safe. As you said, you don't have time to argue with me," she said.

The jounin glanced back into the clearing, then groaned and formed a hand seal. The wood restraining the kunoichi absorbed back into the trunk. She stood quickly and took a step toward Itachi. Genma grabbed her arm.

"Inuzuka, I want you to say in contact with Konoha. With your brother if you won't trust anyone else." he said.

"Don't bother. I never want to hear from the traitor again," Kiba snarled.

He jumped from the tree and gathered up Sasuke, whistling for the dogs to follow him. The Haimaru Sankyodai whined, looking from him to their mistress. She shook her head, motioning them after her brother. They didn't deserve the life she had chosen for herself. They would be better off with the rest of their pack. Genma followed him, carefully wrapping a bandage around the silver-haired jounin's ruined shoulder before he lifted him up.

Hana watched them go, her brown eyes sad. She had no doubt that this would likely be the last time she ever saw her little brother, unless he was placed on a team sent to hunt her down. He hadn't said it this time, but she had seen in his eyes that he still hated her for what she had chosen...no, _who_ she had chosen. Speaking of which, she dropped into the clearing and went to Itachi. She shifted him away from Madara's body, then started patching him up from the beating he had taken at Sasuke's hands. Once she was done, she would have to run with him. They wouldn't be safe with the Akatsuki headquarters so close.

* * *

Questions:

1. Did I manage to surprise you?

2. Well, what do you see happening now? Will Konoha just let them go, or will they come after Hana and Itachi?

3. For that matter, how will Akatsuki react?

**Akai-sora:** I'm starting to think you know me too well. ;D Congrats on guessing that it was Madara who was distracting Itachi last chapter.

Thanks to my anonymous reviewer, **kiwi4me**, **SmallButPowerful**, **Cheese Maiden**, and **greensapphire** for reviewing!

I am on Thankgiving break the rest of the week, so I intend to have another Friday update this week. Please review this chapter and look for that one this Friday!


	9. Take Hold

Sorry about the lack of updates! I got really sick over Thanksgiving break and, needless to say, didn't really feel up to writing. Then I had to go back to college and the last week of classes before exams (my first exam was today actually), so I had no time to write an update for Monday. In an attempt to apologize, this chapter is slightly longer than usual (although, as I look back, the chapters seem to be getting progressively longer anyway).

I am hoping this story will be drawing to a close soon, since I'm running out of lyrics from the song. However, I keep coming up with such fun ideas to prolong the tortu--I mean, fun. Anyway, enjoy.

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sama. "A Little More" belongs to Skillet.

* * *

Let the World Crash

'_Love is all around you now, _

_So take a hold.'_

Chapter Nine

Deidara cursed under his breath, yanking impatiently at the thorny branch which had caught the sleeve of his Akatsuki cloak. When it didn't yield, he tugged harder and was rewarded with a loud, ripping sound. One blue eye glared incredulously at the large hole his sleeve was now sporting, before he turned with another grumbled curse. He batted a branch out of his way, only for it to swing back and nail him in the back of the head, nearly making him fall flat on his face.

"I'm gonna kill him, yeah," he vowed.

Needless to say, the blond Akatsuki member was not at all pleased with the situation he found himself in. He and his partner had just been assigned a mission...only the ditzy masked nin had pulled a vanishing act. Of course it fell to Deidara to hunt the idiot down. Since Tobi usually travelled underground like his teacher, Zetsu, that meant Deidara had to lower himself to following his partner's trail from the ground.

On foot.

Also needless to say, this was not the first time since he set out that the blond promised to kill Tobi. However, when he reached the point where his partner's trail ended, it quickly became obvious that he was not the one who had been able to have that pleasure. His chakra had been concealed out of habit, thus giving him a few moments to take in the scene unobserved.

Tobi--he knew it was his partner only from the Akatsuki cloak, since he had never seen the other man without his obnoxious orange mask--was lying in the grass surrounded by blood. His own blood, judging by the gaping hole in his chest. A few feet away, the brunette Konoha nin knelt beside Itachi, green chakra surrounding her hands as she worked over the unconscious Uchiha. She seemed completely focused on her task, so the blond decided to move closer.

A heartbeat later, he threw himself backward as a kunai sliced through the spot he had been standing in a moment earlier. He rolled back to his feet to find the kunoichi had risen to her feet and was now facing him. She was crouched over her lover like a wolf protecting her offspring...though fallen mate was probably a better analogy. Her lips drew back in a snarl, exposing razor sharp canines, and Deidara decided that this was perhaps not the best time to be debating what to compare her to.

"You sure are ungrateful to the person who has saved your life twice now, Leaflet," he said.

Her brown eyes narrowed.

"You are Akatsuki. I have no reason to trust you," she said warily.

"You trust him," Deidara said with a nod toward Itachi.

His blue eyes had turned contemplative. He glanced toward Tobi's body, then back toward the other two in the clearing.

"Leader's not going to be happy about this," he said.

"Not my problem," Hana responded shortly.

She carefully returned the kunai to its pouch at her side and knelt back down beside Itachi. The blond relaxed slightly, the mouth in his hand spitting out the clay it had been prepared to mold should she continue to be aggressive. He carefully stepped into the clearing and watched her continue to work on the Uchiha.

"Do you really think you can get him out of here alone?" he asked.

Her shoulders stiffened, but she didn't respond. Deidara eased into a crouch beside her, lowering his voice into a cajoling whisper.

"I can help you, yeah. I know this area, know Akatsuki. If they come after you, you can't expect to fight them off yourself. _I_ can, or at least I can delay them long enough for you to get away with him," he said.

He didn't even see her hand move before a kunai was pressed against his throat, the edge digging just deep enough for a thin line of blood to bloom on his tanned skin. His hands tightened into fists but he managed to control himself from blasting her to pieces.

"You told me you hate Itachi. Why should I trust your offer to help us?" the kunoichi demanded.

Deidara shrugged, wincing as the motion caused the kunai to press a little harder against him.

"I do hate Itachi, but I hate the Akatsuki more. I didn't join them; I was _drafted_, yeah. The Uchiha was the only one stopping me from making a run for it, since I knew he'd just hunt me down and use that bloody Sharingan on me again. If he's going, then I'm getting out too," the blond said.

Hana hesitated, then withdrew her weapon. Deidara used the torn sleeve of his cloak to wipe away the thin line of blood, then shed the cloak completely. He balled it up, then tossed it contemptuously to the ground.

"Wish I could burn it, yeah," he muttered.

He pulled off the ring he wore on his right index finger. Under Hana's suspicious gaze, he then pulled off the ring Itachi wore on his right ring finger. He rose and cautiously approached Tobi's body, taking the ring from his left thumb. He stowed all three in the pocket of his pants.

"Why did you do that?" Hana asked.

"When we wear them, Leader can contact us mentally. I don't know if he can locate us with them too but I'm not taking the chance," he said.

"Then why keep them?" the kunoichi asked.

"Without the rings, we can't be replaced. There are supposed to be ten of us, but we've managed to extract bijuu with only nine. I'm betting that it'll be impossible with only five," he stated.

Hana did some mental math and frowned. He had said that there were nine of them now. With Tobi dead and Itachi and Deidara gone, that should leave six, not five. The blond saw her confusion and elaborated.

"I'm betting that Hoshigaki will catch up with us. He is Uchiha's partner, after all," he said.

"But only in the organization," she said.

He smiled thinly, "Uchiha has a way of inspiring loyalty in a person."

"I thought you hated him," Hana said, her smile matching his.

Deidara's visible eye widened and he sputtered for a moment.

"I _do_. I was talking about Hoshigaki, yeah," he said at last.

She couldn't stop the laughter which bubbled out of her. It was such a relief to laugh after the past couple hours...for that matter, the past couple of weeks. Deidara glared at her, looking like a bird with its feathers ruffled. At last, his lips tilted up in a crooked grin.

"I'm glad you think I'm funny, yeah. But we should get out of here," he said.

Hana sobered, but couldn't resist getting in one more jab.

"I never agreed that you could come," she said.

Deidara gaped at her as she smothered a giggle.

"You can come, at least until Itachi wakes up," she said.

He glared at her and grumbled, "Or until I get tired of you, Leaflet."

The blond knew better than to protest when she picked up Itachi. He followed along behind her as they struck out away from the Akatsuki base.

.o0o.o0o.

Due to Deidara's hunch, neither of the two nin were surprised when they sensed Kisame's chakra ahead of them. The fact that he was not concealing his presence suggested that he had come in peace, but just in case he hadn't, Deidara took the lead. Kisame was leaning against a tree trunk, dressed simply in an all-black outfit that emphasized how large he really was. He was not wearing an Akatsuki cloak.

His head lifted upon their approach, white eyes moving from Deidara to Hana and her burden. Without a word, he tossed a small object toward the blond. Deidara registered what it was a few seconds before he caught it. He tucked the ring into his pocket along with the other three.

"I'll take Itachi," Kisame stated gruffly.

Hana's brown eyes narrowed as she tightened her arms around the unconscious male. The shark nin stepped closer to her. He kept his massive chakra suppressed, but merely his height was enough to intimidate. He smiled at her, clearly showing the row of razor-sharp teeth lining his mouth.

"I don't want you to drop him, Leaf. We've got some traveling to do today if we want to get out of the organization's reach. You'll endanger him with your stubbornness," he said.

Hana glanced at Deidara, but the blond studiously avoided her gaze. He did not want to get in the middle of this situation. She reluctantly surrendered her burden.

"You better not drop him," she warned.

A low laugh was her only reply.

As Kisame had promised, they traveled hard, not stopping until they were in Bird Country. There, they stopped at an inn in a tiny village and rented two rooms. Strange as it seemed, life fell into a pattern while they waited for Itachi to wake up. Hana spent most of her time caring for the unconscious Uchiha, while Kisame and Deidara took turns doing small missions to earn money. One of them was always nearby, ready to protect the two former Konoha nin should trouble arise. At first, Hana found their constant presence smothering, but she grew to appreciate the sacrifice both missing nin were making. The jobs they were taking were far below their skill level. Deidara seemed to be the most frustrated at being caged in a small town but neither of them ever complained, at least not in her hearing.

One day, over two weeks after their arrival in Bird Country, Hana stood hesitantly at the door to the room the other two nin shared. Kisame opened it before she could decide whether or not to knock. He bared his teeth in what was meant to be a comforting smile.

"Something we can help you with, little Leaf?" he asked.

She nodded and he stepped aside to let her enter, then shut the door behind her. He leaned against it, folding his arms across his massive chest. She glanced from him over to Deidara. The blond was sitting at a rickety table. His attention was focused on a tiny sculpture he was creating out of clay, but he set it aside to look up at her.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, of course! I...um...just want to thank you both. You know, for staying here with us. You could have just gone your own way, but you stayed. I appreciate that," she blurted.

She was so horrible at things like this. Kisame's smile widened in amusement.

"It's no trouble," he said.

"Speak for yourself," Deidara grumbled, holding up his hands. His palms were swathed in bandages to hide his bloodline limit. He added, "You aren't tasting cotton all the time, yeah."

Hana laughed at the disgruntled expression on his face and, after a moment, the blond joined her. Kisame watched them both, the smile abruptly leaving his face.

"Well...that's all I wanted to say. I need to get back to Itachi," Hana said.

The shark nin shut the door behind her and waited a moment before turning to Deidara. He was staring at the door with a slight smile still on his tanned features.

"Don't be an idiot. She's too old for you," he stated.

The blond blinked, caught off-guard, then bristled, "I'm nineteen!"

"And you won't live to see your twentieth birthday if you fall for Itachi's girl," Kisame stated flatly.

Deidara glanced away from the other man's sharp gaze, unable to hide his blush.

"I'm not falling for her," he mumbled.

Kisame was silent, studying the blond. After a moment, he nodded to himself and left the room. His point had been made. It was up to Deidara whether or not he would take the warning to heart.

* * *

Questions for you thoughtful reviewers out there:

1. -gasp- _Deidara_ likes _Hana_?! (react to that however you want)

2. Do you think the peacefulness will last?

3. It's been two stinking weeks. Itachi's a pansy if he hasn't woken up yet. Why do you think he hasn't?

And review replies:

**SmallButPowerful:** -evil grin- It's always more complicated than that. You'll find out why next chapter (if the characters cooperate with me).

**Akai-sora: **Well, Kakashi was shown to have the Mangekyou in his fight with Deidara during the Gaara arc of Shippuuden (I think I misspelled that). So that part was just working off accepted cannon.  
As for killing Sasuke....well, I like Sasuke. Even if he is an overly-emotional, psychotic freak. Besides, after all that Itachi has gone through to keep his little brother alive, do you really think I'd just kill him off like that?  
And yes, putting questions does make people write longer reviews for the most part.

**Greensapphire:** Glad you thought I described Sasuke well. I hope Hana and Kiba manage to reconcile too!

**Kiwi4me:** Thanks for reviewing!

**Cheese Maiden:** I hope so too.

**The lost kitsune 4:** Welcome! Thanks for reviewing. As for your questions...well, now that would be telling, wouldn't it? You'll find out!

**WickedWickedDame:** Welcome! I'm glad I finally have a reviewer who likes poor Sasuke.

**xTxNxLx:** And another vote for reconciliation between the Inuzuka siblings! Providing they cooperate, I would like to see Kiba forgive Hana as well. We'll see.

Please click the nifty little button you see below and leave me a REVIEW! It will bring light to my cloudy skies and a song to my silent heart. It will give wings to my earthbound mind and allow me to soar the heavens of inspiration...Wow, stress makes me poetic. Please review!


	10. One More

This chapter came out a lot quicker than I thought it would. I decided to go on ahead and post it since with next week being exam week, I probably won't have the chance to post it later. This story amazes me. It was originally supposed to be about the same length as Dance with the Devil, but it's now going on 32 pages with no end in sight. -sigh-

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sama. "A Little More" belongs to Skillet.

* * *

Let the World Crash

'_Just one more day,_

_One more day.'_

Chapter Ten

The next morning, Deidara was awakened by a knock on their door. The blond sat up in his bed, pushing disheveled hair away from his face. He glanced toward Kisame's bed to find it empty. That's right, it was the shark nin's turn to take a mission today. He slid out of bed, not bothering to pull on a shirt, and went to the door. It was probably Hana.

He pulled open the door and came face-to-face with a pink-haired girl he had never wanted to see again. His blue eyes widened at the same time her green ones did.

"You!" they said in tandem.

"You're the one who killed Sasori-danna," Deidara said.

Her eyes narrowed, "And you helped kill Gaara-sama, and tried to kill Naruto!"

"And I'm the one who ripped your arm off. Now that we're all reacquainted, why don't we move this to a more private location," Kakashi put in mildly, his single eye crinkling in his version of a smile.

Deidara glanced over at the silver-haired nin, not having noticed him since he had been focused on the little kunoichi. He hesitantly stepped back into his room grudgingly spreading his arm to invite the two Konoha nin to enter.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded gruffly.

"We were in the area and decided to stop by," Kakashi said.

"Sensei, you said there were _allies_ that needed help. This man is Akatsuki!" the girl whined.

Kakashi's single eye studied Deidara, the look more piercing than the blond would ever be willing to admit. He shifted, uncomfortable under the scrutiny of this legendary jounin.

"Is he?" Kakashi murmured.

Deidara held up the hand which used to bear his Akatsuki ring, showing both the empty spot on his index finger and the lack of nail polish.

"Not anymore, yeah," he grunted.

Kakashi nodded as though this only confirmed what he already knew, then turned his head to glance back at the doorway.

"Is Itachi still unconscious?" he asked.

Deidara was silent, his gaze wary. For all he knew, the Copy Ninja had come to kill Itachi while he was weak. His fists clenched. That would only happen over his dead body.

"Sakura is second only to our Hokage in her medical abilities. If anyone can bring him out of the coma, then it will be her," Kakashi said.

'_Sakura...what an appropriate name, yeah,'_ Deidara thought with a glint of humor.

The pink-haired kunoichi, however, was nowhere near amused. The black gloves she wore creaked as her fists clenched. She turned smoldering green eyes on her sensei.

"There's no way I'm going to help Uchiha Itachi! Have you forgotten what he's done? He's the reason Sasuke-kun-" her voice choked off, expression turning to one of hurt.

Kakashi sighed, lifting a hand to ruffle her hair. She ducked away from it, scowling at the older nin.

"What you have been told is not the full story, Sakura. Have I ever given you reason to doubt my loyalty to Konoha?" he asked.

She hesitated, looking torn. At last, she shook her head.

"No, Kakashi-sensei," she said quietly.

"Then trust me," the jounin said, turning back to Deidara, "Will you let us see him?"

In answer, Deidara stalked over to his bed and snatched up the mesh shirt he had discarded before going to bed. He yanked it savagely over his head, clearly unhappy yet cooperating nonetheless. Sakura found her throat going dry as the action caused his torso to ripple with muscles. The mesh shirt emphasized the lean lines of his body, doing a horrible job of concealing the torso she had just been gaping at. She yanked her eyes away, fighting back a blush.

'**Heeey, good-lookin'! I'd like some of that,'** inner Sakura suddenly spoke up, after almost three years of silence.

Sakura did not appreciate her alter ego's sudden reemergence.

'_Shut up! He's the _enemy_, no matter what Kakashi-sensei says,'_ she thought savagely.

"Are you coming, Sakura?" Kakshi drawled.

She jumped, looking up to find the blond had already left the room and Kakashi was standing in the door looking back at her. Amusement was clear in his single eye. As always, he appeared to have seen right through her. The kunoichi quickly followed him from the room, shutting the door behind her.

Deidara knocked softly on a door a short distance down the hall. He didn't get an answer, so he carefully eased the door open. Light from the hallway spilled into the dark room, illuminating the single bed. Itachi lay furthest from the door, so that anyone trying to get to him would have to make it past Hana first. As for the Inuzuka, she was sound asleep next to her lover. Her hand was entangled with his, though at least a foot separated the rest of their bodies. Deidara's heart twisted at the sweetness of the scene. He didn't like seeing how devoted the kunoichi clearly was to Itachi.

"Hana," he called.

She lifted her head, releasing Itachi's hand as she sat up. Her brown eyes darted over his shoulder and widened. She quickly stood.

"Kakashi...I didn't think you would come," she said softly.

Deidara bristled and he demanded, "You _invited_ them?"

"He isn't waking up, Deidara! You haven't been sitting here day after day, watching him fade away in front of your eyes. I had to do something," she said.

The blond looked over at Itachi. She was right. The lines on his face had gotten deeper since the last time he had checked on the Uchiha. They were startlingly dark against the relative paleness of his features. He looked like only a shade of his usual self.

Sakura brushed past Deidara, shifting into medic mode. She laid a hand on Itachi's chest, sending a tiny bit of chakra into him to assess his physical state. Hana had stiffened and was watching her warily. After a moment, Sakura lifted her hand. Her green eyes instinctively sought out her sensei, who still stood in the doorway.

"Well?" he asked.

"I'd say he was in a coma, but not all the symptoms match. For example, his chakra is caught in a feedback loop. I can't tell what has caused that, but it's likely the reason for his deterioration," she reported.

Kakashi nodded.

"I was right then," he murmured, then louder, "What is the state of his Sharingan?"

Sakura laid a hand on his forehead, closing her eyes. After a long moment, she frowned and withdrew her hand.

"The chakra pathways to his eyes are completely burned out. So are his optic nerves for that matter," she said.

"Meaning?" Deidara asked.

She glared at the blond, then returned her attention to her teacher.

"_Meaning_ that he has no use of the Sharingan. With the optic nerve burned out as well, then he is also as good as blind. I should be able to fix his optic nerves, but there is nothing I can do for the chakra pathways," she said.

Hana had taken Itachi's hand again, switching her attention from her lover to the medic nin.

"But why won't he wake up?" she asked.

"I can answer that," the silver-haired jounin interjected.

Kakashi stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. He made his way to the window and pulled the curtain aside to let some natural light into the room then took his time admiring the view from the window. It took Sakura's not-so-gentle elbow in his side to get him to turn his attention back to the conversation.

"The last jutsu he used was the Tsukiyomi, to put Sasuke into a state of unconsciousness. Unfortunately, the technique was too much for his already weakened body and it burnt out his chakra pathways, as Sakura has said. Because he didn't end Tsukiyomi before that happened, he was caught in his own technique," Kakashi explained.

Hana's brown eyes widened.

"You mean he's been trapped in Tsukiyomi for over two weeks?" she demanded.

No wonder his condition was deteriorating.

"I can bring him out of it. But you might not agree with my methods, Hana," Kakashi stated.

The brunette hesitated, squeezing Itachi's hand. She didn't like the way Kakashi had said that...but anything had to be better than watching him fade away in front of her eyes, right? She nodded firmly, releasing his hand and stepping back from the bed. The jounin pushed his forehead protector away from his face, revealing his own Sharingan. Sakura stirred.

"Sensei, Tsunade-shishou said not to use-" she started to protest.

"It's all right, Sakura," he interrupted, giving her his signature eye crinkle to reassure her.

She scowled at him, clearly seeing the lie for what it was. He ignored her and came closer to the bed. Within the space of a breath, he pulled out a kunai and stabbed it into Itachi's hand. The Uchiha's eyes fluttered open, glazed onyx eyes not focusing clearly on anything as his breath caught on a pained gasp. Deidara had to grab Hana's hand to stop her from going after Kakashi. The silver-haired jounin leaned closer to Itachi, capturing his gaze with the Sharingan. The three tomoe within the crimson eyes spun, dragging them both into a different world.

..

_Kakashi stood in a world of black and crimson, a world still painfully familiar from his first encounter with it a few months ago. This time, though, he was the one in control of the world. He turned to look around him, finding only emptiness stretching in every direction...save from the lone figure standing behind him. Itachi was dressed the same manner he had been while still a Konoha nin--in a black, high-collared shirt and black pants._

_That was odd._

_They should both be dressed the same way they were in reality._

_He was forced to set aside that line of questioning when Itachi collapsed to his knees. He knelt beside the Uchiha, setting a hand on his shoulder. Itachi raised his head, turning his eyes toward where Kakashi was._

"_Who is there?" he asked._

"_It's Hatake Kakashi," the jounin responded._

_Itachi's head dropped. When he spoke, his voice was small._

"_It feels like I've been here for centuries," he whispered._

_It was clear that the time he had spent trapped in Tsukiyomi had weakened him mentally just as much as it had physically, wearing through his natural barriers of reserve. The Itachi Kakashi had always known would never have admitted to such a thing._

"_I can get you out," Kakashi said._

_He stood and extended a hand for the Uchiha to take. Hesitantly, Itachi reached out and blindly felt for Kakashi._

'Itachi, what do you think you're doing?' _the sharp voice sliced through the silence and caused the Uchiha to jerk his hand away._

_He visibly withdrew into himself, whispering, "It's starting again."_

_As the last word left his lips, their surroundings changed. Instead of the black plain that had been spread around them, walls rose around the two nin. A second Itachi, clothed in an ANBU uniform, stood directly in front of them, facing his parents. Fugaku stood protectively in front of Mikoto, his Sharingan activated._

'What are you doing?'_ Fugaku repeated._

'What should have been done years ago. This clan no longer functions the way it should. I will wipe it out so that it can begin anew,'_ the other Itachi said._

"_No," Itachi breathed._

_The other Itachi flickered into place almost faster than Kakashi could follow. He raised his sword above his head, blood splashing everywhere as it fell. The scene shivered like the surface of a pond that had been disturbed by a rock tossed into its depths. Little Sasuke suddenly stood there, staring up at his idolized older brother with horror in his eyes._

'What are you doing, brother?'_ he asked in a small voice._

_The scene rippled again and they were standing in the street, once again with little Sasuke facing his impassive older brother._

'If you wish to kill me...'

_Shuriken and kunai flew through the air._

'Hate me...'

_Blood splashed, an obscene red against the black backdrop._

'Detest me...'

_Bodies fell in rapid succession, their eyes wide in accusation and disbelief._

'Survive in an unsightly way...'

_Sasuke clutched at his head, screaming in agony at the images his brother was forcing into his head._

'Run. Run and cling to life.'

_But it was the other Itachi who ran._

_Kakashi turned back to the real Itachi, who still knelt on the ground with his head bowed. Judging from the way he was trembling, he had been reliving this past the entire time he was here. The siver-haired jounin spoke over the scenes that were still taking place around them._

"_You can end this, Itachi," he said._

_The scene had changed to the hotel where Itachi had first encountered Naruto. Impassive, the other Itachi was methodically beating Sasuke into the ground. Every grunt and crack of breaking bones made the real Itachi wince._

"_I can't," he whispered, "I deserve this...an eternity of this."_

"_Itachi, your brother needs you," Kakashi prodded patiently._

"_I destroyed him," the Uchiha countered._

"_This isn't like you, Itachi," Kakshi said._

_He lifted his head, onyx eyes burning with the faintest hint of the Sharingan._

"_You know nothing about me!" he shouted, raising his voice for the first time._

_And around them, the flashing scenes froze._

"_Now take my hand, Itachi," Kakashi said, once again extending it._

_The Uchiha stretched out his own hand and Kakashi seized it. Itachi flinched, then held tighter as though the connection with the jounin was his lifeline. In a way, it was._

"_Good, now come on," Kakashi urged._

_He pulled the weak man to his feet and guided his stumbling steps. The scenes around them faded into black._

..

Kakashi blinked as he came back to full consciousness. Glancing around at the others, he determined that only a few seconds had passed in the real world. His eyes were drawn back to Itachi as the Uchiha moaned. His onyx eyes opened, then narrowed. The other four nin easily sensed the surge of chakra as he instinctively tried to activate the Sharingan.

His resulting scream of agony echoed through the small inn.

Deidara again held Hana back from running to Itachi, while Sakura went to work on the weakened missing nin. He was clinging to consciousness by only the most tenuous of threads and the medic was not about to let him slip back under.

"Stay with me, Uchiha-san," she demanded.

He closed his eyes as Sakura pressed her fingertips to his temples, directing her healing chakra into his eyes. The room was deathly silent as the three other nin watched Sakura working over Itachi.

Suddenly, the door slammed open and Kisame filled the room with his massive amount of chakra. Samehada was brandished in one hand, ready to separate the foolish heads from the shoulders of whoever dared attack his partner.

"It's all right, yeah," Deidara said.

Kisame's white eyes narrowed.

"I heard him scream," he stated.

'I'm...fine," Itachi forced out, voice hoarse from weeks without speaking.

"Quiet," Sakura ordered. She spared a glance toward the others, green eyes alight with anger as she demanded, "I can't concentrate with all of you in here. Clear out."

Kakashi raised his hands in surrender. Sakura hadn't earned the nickname mini-Tsunade for nothing. He gestured toward Kisame and Deidara.

"Let's leave these three in peace," he said.

"Everyone clear out," Sakura stated.

Hana stiffened, "Not a chance, girl. I stay with Itachi."

Deidara laid a hand on the brunette's shoulder.

"Listen to the medic, Leaflet. Surely you can wait just one more day," he said.

Hana reluctantly allowed him to guide her from the room. Neither of them looked back to notice the way Itachi had lifted his head so that his sightless eyes could follow them from the room. He did _not_ like the way Deidara's voice had turned uncharacteristically gentle when speaking to the woman Itachi himself was in love with. The blond would be expected to answer for his actions as soon as Itachi regained enough strength to confront him.

* * *

Questions:

1. -gasp- Inner Sakura thinks Deidara is good-looking?! Is this the start of another couple?

2. Does my explanation of why Itachi was out so long/the scene in Tsukiyomi with Kakashi make sense?

3. Uh oh, Itachi knows about Deidara and Hana. Is there a smackdown coming up?

Review replies:

**Akai-sora:** Sorry, still no Genma. He'll be coming back soon, I think. Um, is watching The Princess Bride repeatedly supposed to be torture? I love that movie!  
And in the last chapter, Hana pulled out another kunai after she threw one at Deidara. It would be pretty stupid to hurl her only weapon and then stand there defenseless.

**Cheese Maiden:** Itachi and Hana are both twenty-one. Typically, if Itachi were to seek out female company (which was rare), he usually goes for the sophisticated type of woman. But he didn't have any long-term relationships. And Hana has not dated anyone.

**PretendingxPepper:** Well, it seems there is a possibility for DeiSaku....but it doesn't look like Kisame will be getting any love. Poor shark nin. :D

Thanks to **kiwi4me**, **xTxNxLx**, and **SmallButPowerful** for reviewing as well! And thanks to everyone who wished me luck on my exams...I'm going to need it!

Please leave me a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. I'd really appreciate it!


	11. Love Can

-sighs- I don't even know where to begin. I'm sorry for the unannounced hiatus, guys. I received some bad news right before college and didn't feel like writing over Christmas break. And since I've returned to college, I have been utterly swamped. Please be patient with me as I try to figure out how to fit writing into my crazy schedule. The updates might be a bit sporadic, though I'm intending to try to post every Friday.

Okay, enough angsting...on with the chapter!

Disclaimer: Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto. Skillet owns "A Little More."

* * *

Let the World Crash

'_Oh, let the world crash_

_Love can take it.'_

Chapter Eleven

Sakura began to regret her order as Kakashi stepped out the door to leave her alone with Itachi. Despite the fact that he was chakra depleted, practically blind, and weak from being in a jutsu-induced coma, the pink-haired medic nin found his very presence to be intimidating. The door shut behind her former sensei. Her green eyes lowered to her patient and she was privileged to a most unexpected sight.

Itachi's brows were furrowed slightly and he was all but glaring at the door. Sakura gaped at the sight of the apathetic man showing emotion, casting about for a reason he would do so. Remembering the way that blond Akatsuki member--no matter what he said, Sakura didn't trust him--had led Hana from the room, she found her answer. It was enough to cause a smile to break across her face as she relaxed.

"I never believed I would see Uchiha Itachi jealous," she said boldly.

Onyx eyes shifted toward her and she nearly took an involuntary step back before she reminded herself that he couldn't see her. A person shouldn't be able to look so in control when they were as weak as a kitten. As if in confirmation of her thoughts, Itachi allowed his head to fall back onto his pillow. Sakura instinctively moved forward.

"Stay awake, Uchiha-san," she ordered, calling soothing green chakra to her fingertips.

His body tensed when she laid her hands on either side of his head. After a few moments, he relaxed although he still retained an air of alertness around him. The medic nin worked in the heavy silence for as long as she could stand before breaking down and speaking.

"You know, there was a time when I would have given just about anything to have Sasuke-kun jealous over me," she said.

Itachi's onyx eyes had nearly closed while she worked to repair his optical nerves, but now they opened. His gaze seemed to search her face even though she knew he couldn't see her. He didn't respond, but there was a question in his eyes.

"He left Konoha three years ago to become an Avenger. I...I begged him not to go and, when that didn't work, I pleaded to go with him. He left me lying on a bench, unconscious," Sakura continued, wondering why it was so easy to spill her darkest hurts to this man that she should hate.

He was the one who had caused Sasuke to leave her, after all. His onyx eyes narrowed slightly, clearly detecting the hurt and bitterness that colored her voice.

"You love him," he stated.

"I _loved_ him. I don't know how I feel about him anymore. He's...changed. He isn't the twelve-year I knew," Sakura said.

Itachi allowed his eyes to close again.

"No, but you aren't the same girl he left, are you?" he asked.

If the statement hadn't been so profound, Sakura would have laughed aloud. Never in a million years would she have ever imagined getting love advice from the S-class murderer Uchiha Itachi.

"You...aren't what I thought you would be," she admitted to him.

He shifted slightly, giving a tiny grimace of pain.

"I'll be done in a minute," Sakura reassured him, "But you'll need to keep your eyes closed."

Itachi obeyed, continuing the conversation, "Disappointed?"

"Hmm? Oh...honestly, I kind of am. After we fought your clone on the way to rescue Gaara, I put you on a pedestal of evil on par with Orochimaru. You both had a hand in Sasuke's leaving, after all. But..." Sakura trailed off before adding reluctantly, "Talking with you, you don't seem so evil."

"Life isn't always what it seems to be," Itachi said blandly.

The pink-haired kunoichi frowned.

"Kakashi said something like that too," she said, withdrawing her hands, "You can open your eyes now."

Slowly, he opened them, squinting against the light that slipped through the open curtain. His eyes lifted to her face, actually meeting her own eyes this time.

"Your sensei is a wise man," he said softly.

Sakura returned his gaze, suddenly feeling young and naive in the face of the silent torment and dignified acceptance of it that she saw in the depths of his onyx eyes. Unable to meet it for long, she turned toward the door. Itachi halted her as he spoke again.

"Give my brother another chance," he said.

She looked over her shoulder at him, green eyes filling with tears for a reason beyond her understanding. She nodded silently then walked the rest of the way toward the door. Pasting a smile on her face, she jerked it open.

"You can come back in," she announced to the four waiting shinobi.

Kakashi was eying her with a perceptive gaze. She crossed her arms over her chest and ignored him. She was not about to admit what had happened in the room while she had been alone with Itachi.

Hana, of course, was the first inside. She started to fling herself at Itachi, but then hesitated. The last time they had spoken, Itachi had casually broken her heart and sent her off. She knew now that he had been trying to protect her, but she didn't know what his reaction would be now. His eyes focused over her shoulder on Kakashi.

"You killed Madara?" he asked.

The silver-haired jounin nodded, lifting his single eye from the orange book he held only briefly. A tension she hadn't even noticed before seemed to uncoil from Itachi. He raised a hand toward her.

"Hana," he said softly, gaze meeting hers.

She sat down on the bed beside him, taking his hand. She read the unspoken apology in his dark eyes. Now that the main threat was gone, he allowed some of his emotions for the Inuzuka to show.

"I understand, Itachi," she whispered.

He shoved himself up on his elbows, tugging Hana down toward him at the same time. Their lips met, the kiss gentle and almost cautious. Her eyes slid closed, so she missed the fact that Itachi left his eyes open for a moment. He looked past her to meet Deidara's blue eyes. The blond man was looking slightly pained. His eyes widened when he caught Itachi staring at him. He understood the message, glancing away from the couple. Only then did Itachi allow his eyes to fall closed as he kissed the woman he loved.

* * *

Well, there it is. I'm shooting for only three more chapters, since I'll run out of song lyrics in three chapters. Anyway, onto questions and review responses.

1. Do you think Sakura will follow Itachi's advice about Sasuke?

2. How do you see this story ending?

**the lost kitsune 4/Dragon Jadefire:** At this point in time, I don't think that Itachi will regain his Sharingan. The chakra pathways to his eyes have been completely burned out, so it would take a rather complicated surgery to restore them. As for a reconciliation with Sasuke...we'll see. :D

**Bullet in the Brainpan Squish:** -huggles Deidara- Poor guy, what did he ever do to deserve such hatred. I'll protect you, Dei-kun!! ;D

Thanks to **akai-sora, SmallButPowerful, Cheese Maiden, greensapphire, **and **sesshomaru's wifey** for reviewing last chapter. You guys are amazing!

Please leave me a review and let me know what you thought! Negative or positive, I don't really care at this point (though my self-esteem would rather be stroked than pummeled).


	12. Take a Little

I am SO sorry that it has been such a long time since I've updated this!! I've actually had the first half of this chapter written for months now, but I was struck with an idea for the second part when I was getting ready to post the first half. Then I got busy with the last bit of college and, when I finished that, I was experiencing writer's block and decided to ignore the story altogether out of sheer frustration. Last night I finally regained my inspiration (Sasuke coming back into the anime in recent weeks had a large hand in it), and finished up the chapter.

So, I hope you guys enjoy it. I hope that the next update will not be so long in coming.

Disclaimer: This is not mine, it's Kishimoto's. Not mine, Kishimoto's. Mine, not Kishimoto's...wait... Strike that, reverse it.

* * *

Let the World Crash

'_Love can take a little._

_Love can give a little more.'_

Chapter Twelve

Shiranui Genma sat down in Ichiraku's Ramen, smiling charmingly at Ayame.

"Your regular, Genma?" she asked.

"Yeah," he responded with a flirtatious wink.

She blushed and turned away to prepare his meal. His smile faded as he glanced over at the blond next to him. An untouched bowl of ramen sat in front of the nin, an unheard of occurrence for Naruto. The usually obnoxiously loud teenager was quiet, his blue eyes staring moodily at the countertop. Genma resisted the urge to sigh as he shifted his senbon to the other side of his mouth.

This was why he had never taken on a genin team.

"What's the matter, Naruto-kun?" he asked.

The blond glanced over at him, then returned his stare to the cold ramen.

"Nothing," he mumbled.

The jounin did sigh this time. Still, he persevered.

"You look like your best friend died or something," he said.

Naruto scowled. The jounin belatedly recalled that Uchiha brat laying in a room in Konoha's hospital. The blond suddenly grabbed a pair of chopsticks and viciously snapped them apart. Genma resisted the urge to cower backward.

"The teme refuses to see me. And now I find out that Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei just took off yesterday. Tsunade-bachan won't tell me where they went," he grumbled, swirling the noodles around his chopsticks and shoving the cold food into his mouth.

Genma was grateful when Ayame placed his own bowl in front of him. He took a bite of his own steaming food, chewing it as he decided what to say to cheer up the boy.

"They'll be back soon," he said at last.

Naruto slammed his chopsticks down as he stood, blue eyes gleaming with just a hint of red as he looked at the jounin.

"But why didn't they tell me they were leaving? Why did they leave Sasuke when he needs us the most? We're supposed to be a family!" he exclaimed.

Genma held up his hands in a placating manner.

"You'll have to ask them when they get back, Naruto-kun. I can't answer for them," he said.

The teenager sat back down, the anger leaving his expression. He just didn't understand any of it. What could have been more important to Sakura-chan than being reunited with Sasuke? But more important in his mind was the question...why was Sasuke refusing to see him? In the weeks since the Uchiha had been returned to Konoha, Naruto hadn't left his side. Or at least, not while he was unconscious. When Sasuke had finally awakened, Naruto had been rudely ejected from the hospital room. The nurses hadn't allowed him back in since then, at the teme's request. It was more painful than Naruto could express in words to know that his best friend had finally come home, to know he was just a few minutes away, but not be able to talk to him. He wanted to force Sasuke to speak with him, but the Hokage would have his hide if he tried that with one of her patients.

"Don't think so hard. I can see the smoke coming out of your ears, Naruto-kun," Genma teased, snapping him out of his stewing.

"I'm going to find out, believe it!" Naruto stated.

The jounin took another bite of ramen, his gaze shifting over the blond's shoulder.

"Now there goes someone with a cloud hanging over his head," he said.

Naruto swiveled in his chair.

"Kiba? What's wrong with him?" he asked.

When he didn't receive an immediate answer, he turned back around to face Genma, only to find the senbon-chewing man had vanished. Naruto frowned.

"At least he paid for his meal. Kakashi-sensei would have stuck me with the bill," he grumbled.

He pulled out his frog wallet and paid Ayame for his meal, then left Ichiraku's. He ran to catch up with Kiba, throwing a friendly arm around the Inuzuka's shoulders.

"What's the matter? Akamaru give you his fleas again?" he joked.

Kiba scowled at him.

"Go away, Naruto," he growled.

The jinchuuriki let his arm drop, his clear blue eyes showing hurt. As Kiba continued to walk away, Naruto's eyes narrowed, the hurt being replaced by determination.

"Kiba! I'm sick and tired of people not telling me what is going on. First the teme, then Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei, and now you. I've had enough of it. Now tell me what's wrong or I'm going to beat it out of you," he said.

"Like you could," Kiba retorted.

"You haven't seen me fight since I came back from training with the perverted hermit. I've gotten good," Naruto boasted.

The Inuzuka was ready to take him up on the offer, but Akamaru whined and tugged at the sleeve of his jacket. The nin dog was tired of his master acting like this. He wanted to see an end to it. Kiba sighed.

"All right, Naruto. Let me start with the day I went into Hana's room to find she was missing..." he said.

From his place in the shadows, Genma smiled. When Sasuke had come back and then refused to see him, Naruto had temporarily misplaced his purpose. Hopefully this encounter would remind him that it hadn't just been Sasuke he was improving for. He was going to become the next Hokage, after all.

..

Naruto slammed the door against the wall as he forced his way into the Hokage's office. He scowled at Tsunade, breathing heavily. His hands were clenched into fists.

"I'm going after them," he said.

The busty Hokage sighed, folding her manicured hands on the desk. Her brown eyes were hard, without the usual trace of her fondness for this boy she usually showed.

"You are not leaving the village, Naruto," she said.

"You sent a two-person team to take out the Uchiha Itachi. They need more back-up than that. I'll never forgive you if Sakura-chan or Kakshi-sensei get hurt," he said.

"They..." Tsunade started. She stopped suddenly and frowned at him, "How on earth did you figure that out?"

"Kiba told me about Hana-chan, then I got Shikamaru's help to figure the rest of it out," Naruto said.

The word 'troublesome' drifted in from the hallway through the still-open door. Shikamaru should have known Naruto would blurt out his role in this and get the lazy chuunin in trouble with his Hokage.

"Get in here and shut that door," Tsunade ordered.

Shikamaru shuffled inside, carefully shutting the door behind him. Just before it closed completely, he met Kiba's gaze. The Inuzuka grinned at him, safe out here in the hallway while Shikamaru had to go inside to face Tsunade's legendary wrath. Shikamaru frowned and muttered 'troublesome' again.

"Kakashi was not specifically ordered to kill Uchiha Itachi. He and Sakura were to pinpoint his location, then determine their course of action from there. You trust your sensei, don't you?" she asked.

Naruto scowled, but reluctantly said, "Yes."

"Then trust his judgment. He won't put himself or Sakura in more danger than they can handle. On the chance that he does, I will revive his sorry carcass and kill him again myself," the Hokage stated, "Any other questions?"

"What about Hana-chan?" Naruto asked.

"She has made her choice. A file has been prepared on her and it will be placed in the next BINGO book," Tsunade said.

"But-" the teenager protested.

"I can't compromise on this, Naruto. Even the position of Hokage has rules. Inuzuka Hana is a missing-nin now," she said, "Now get out of my office. I've got paperwork to finish. And take that eavesdropper in the hall with you."

Naruto and Shikamaru did as ordered, dragging Kiba with them as they went.

"We should go anyway. We can't just sit around and let hunter-nin go after Hana-chan. We'll get her and bring her back to Konoha," the blond teen said.

"If you leave after the Hokage has ordered you not to, you'll be labeled a missing-nin yourself," Shikamaru pointed out.

"Besides," Kiba added bitterly, "I tried that already and she just chose that Uchiha over her loyalty to Konoha and her family.

"Well, we just won't give her a choice this time," Naruto said resolutely.

"Won't give who a choice?" a new voice inquired.

Naruto spun to see a brown-haired ANBU operative standing behind him.

"Umm...no one?" he tried.

"Tsunade-sama has asked me to keep an eye on you, Naruto-kun. At least until your sensei returns from his mission," the ANBU said.

Naruto glanced at the other two teenagers. There went that plan. Behind his mask, Tenzou smiled at the blond nin, reading his chagrinned expression easily. It was going to be fun foiling each escape plan Naruto designed.

..

Sasuke sat upright in the hospital bed with his gaze fixed on the bit of blue sky visible through the closed window. There was a prominent seal on the window, designed to give him a shock if he tried to tear it off and escape. That was also assuming that he could break through the chakra restraints tying him to the bed.

He heard the door slide open, but did not turn his head to face it. It was too early for the nurse to be checking on him again, so he already knew who it was. Since he had evicted Naruto from his room, there was only one person who came to visit.

"How are you feeling today, Sasuke-kun?" Tsunade asked.

He kept his face turned away and did not respond. His chart hung at the foot of the bed. Let the Godaime Hokage check that if she was so concerned about his health. He heard her feet move to the end of his bed, followed by the rattle of the chart being pulled from its hook. She turned a few pages, then sighed.

"Sasuke-kun, you can't stay in this hospital forever. Avoiding your past will not make it go away and brooding over it just means the present will pass you by," she said gently.

He finally stirred himself, turning his eyes toward her as he cleared his throat. His voice was rough from days of not being used.

"I am a traitor. I have no future," he stated.

"And Naruto is the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. If he managed to make the townspeople accept him, then he can make them accept you as well, despite your past transgressions," the Hokage said.

Sasuke hung his head so that his unkempt bangs fell into his eyes, shielding them from her piercing brown gaze. The corners of his mouth pulled down into a habitual frown. Tsunade resisted the urge to stamp her foot in anger, knowing that the action could bring down the entire hospital. The dratted Uchiha was being deliberately difficult. However, her stern expression softened at the memory of Kakashi's terse report. The teen's entire world had been turned on its head, but she would not just leave him to wallow in his confusion and guilt.

"I'm assigning you a new nurse," she said.

His head lifted slightly before he caught himself and looked back down.

"I'll check up on you in a few days, Sasuke-kun," Tsunade said almost cheerfully before turning and leaving the hospital room.

By directing what little chakra he had to his ears, Sasuke could vaguely make out the sound of the female Hokage bellowing out orders, but he couldn't quite make out what she said. He frowned, settling back in his bed. He would just have to wait to find out who this 'new' nurse was.

Two hours later, as the sun was casting the last of its crimson rays through his window, Sasuke heard the door open again. He stuffed down his curiosity and forced himself to continue staring out the window.

'Good evening, Uchiha-san. I'm going to be your new caretaker," a soft, feminine voice said.

Despite his vow to the contrary, Sasuke glanced over toward the door. A teenage girl close to his own age stood there. Her dark hair was pulled into a neat bun on top her head and her luminous silver eyes reflected the sun's light as if they were twin moons. She looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place where he had seen her before. She must not be too important. He turned his face away from her as she continued to speak in that soft voice.

"My name is Hyuuga Hinata, but you may call me Hinata. I've brought your supper," she added.

The young woman set the tray she carried on the bedside table and rolled it closer to him. It was kept out of his reach at other times since it could be used as a weapon. Sasuke gave the rapidly-cooling content of the bowl a contemptuous glance before deciding that silence could not accurately convey his disdain for hospital food.

"I won't eat that slop," he said.

"You need to eat, Uchiha-san," she coaxed.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed into a glare that had sent more powerful shinobi than this weakling cowering in terror, yet her patient expression did not change. Uchiha Mikoto would have died a thousand deaths had she still been alive to see what her youngest son did next. Unable to intimidate her, he resorted to a far more childish means of asserting his control. He picked up the tray in his manacled hands and threw it at her.

For a long, horrible moment she just stood there while lukewarm broth dripped down her face and turned her white uniform embarrassingly transparent. Her pale face flushed red and Sasuke experienced a moment of twisted triumph Then, to his shock, she not only bent down and calmly retrieved the tray, but also managed to give him an almost serene smile.

"Goodnight, Uchiha-san. I will see you in the morning," she said before leaving. Thoroughly stumped, Sasuke sat in bed staring at the door long after it had closed behind her.

His confusion only deepened when a homemade bento was placed in his lap the next morning. He looked up to find the Hyuuga smiling sweetly at him.

"I hope you will like that better than the hospital food, Uchiha-san," she said.

Needless to say, it was a vast improvement over what the hospital served. After several days of savoring a home-cooked meal at each mealtime, Sasuke looked up at the nurse with his blunted chopsticks poised over the bento she had given him. His eyes narrowed even though he knew by now that his glare had no effect on her.

"You aren't doing this to make me like you, are you?" he asked suspiciously.

She laughed at him. It was the first time she had laughed in his presence and, although he was no great judge, he thought it was one of the most pleasant laughs he had heard if only it had not been at his expense. She composed herself after a moment even though she was still smiling.

"I am sorry, Uchiha-san. You caught me by surprise. I thought everyone in our class knew that I've liked Naruto-kun since the academy," she said. She glanced away from him as she added somewhat sadly, "Not that he's realized it yet."

Sasuke shoveled a bite of food into his mouth and did not speak again the rest of the time she was there. It was not until later that night, as he stared at the ceiling and tried to fall asleep, that he realized he was actually jealous of Naruto.

* * *

No, I couldn't resist the chance for some SasuHina. Just a very little bit of it, but a little is better than nothing. Speaking of which, I do have an actual nurse!Hinata and patient!Sasuke in the works. I have it sorta planned out, I just need to sit down and write it. Anyway, I was talking about this chapter.

For those of you who don't know, Tenzou is also known as Yamato. He led Team 7 while Kakashi-sensei was out of comission in the beginning of Shipuuden.

Questions for this chapter:

1. Will Naruto be able to outwit Tenzou and go hunt down Kakashi and Co.?

2. Do you want to see more Sasuke in the last couple chapters, or are you utterly sick of the whiny little boy?

3. Has your opinion changed on what you believe is in store for Itachi and Hana? (reread if you need to, I know it's been forever since I updated)

Thanks for reading and PLEASE review! I will hand out giant virtual cookies to those who do. Hey, I'm a poet and I didn't know it. Okay, shutting up now...


	13. Indestructible

So I was going to wait to post again until I got my 90th review, but then I decided that I felt too guilty after not updating for so long and I would just try to keep to my weekly updating schedule rather than waiting for reviews. That said, enjoy!

WARNING: This chapter contains some spoilers about the Akatsuki. Read at your own risk.

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine, sadly.

* * *

Let the World Crash

'_Love is indestructible,_

_So take a hold.'_

Chapter Thirteen

Tsunade had been keeping a close eye on her most troublesome--to use Shikamaru's favorite word--patient. What she had seen of his progress was most encouraging, save for one thing. She was deeply worried about this developing crush on Hyuuga Hinata, to which the sweet nurse was still completely oblivious. Tsunade was well aware that Hinata had eyes for only one man, and that was Uzumaki Naruto. Even though the Uchiha was beginning to physically recover from his ordeal, he was still so emotionally fragile that a rejection from the nurse could send him spiraling back into his depression. With all this in mind, Tsunade approached his room with determined steps. She opened the door, pleased when his head turned toward her and his onyx eyes met hers for a moment before he turned away. Just as quickly, her heart sank with the realization that he had been expecting Hinata.

"How are you feeling today, Sasuke-kun?" she asked her habitual question.

"Better," he mumbled.

Better indeed. This was the first day he had answered her in all the weeks he had been in the hospital. Despite that, she moved to the end of the bed to peruse his chart. His vitals were back up to normal, his chakra level was restored, and he had actually gained a few pounds from Hinata's home-cooked meals to fill out his thin frame. Had he not been a missing-nin, she probably would declare him fit to be released.

Just then, a distant explosion rattled the window of the hospital. Tsunade's expression darkened and the clipboard in her hand shattered into fragments from the force of her grip on it. If she didn't admire that blond idiot so much, she would either kill him or drop-kick him to Suna to let his friend the Kazekage deal with his antics. His attempts to escape Tenzou had been amusing the first few days, but enough was enough. The Hokage turned for the door when Sasuke's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Bring him here. I will talk with him," the Uchiha said.

Had anyone else tried to command her like she was some pathetic genin, her fist would have quickly been acquainted with the fool's face. But this was Uchiha Sasuke and he was finally taking an interest in life again. He was finally agreeing to see his best friend again. So instead of putting him in his place, Tsunade left the room with a gigantic smile on her face.

"Have Tenzou bring Naruto to me," she told the ANBU operative who shadowed her.

The man nodded and faded into the floor. Tsunade continued on her way to the Hokage Tower. A short time later, the brown-haired ANBU came into her office. He was literally dragging Naruto with him. Bound in thick beams of wood, the chuunin was protesting his state loudly. As for Tenzou, he was dusty and had developed dark circles beneath his eyes. Had he been a lesser man, she had no doubt he would be begging her to assign another person to oversee the hyperactive Naruto. As it was, his eyes silently pleaded with her to show some mercy. Her grin widened. That would teach him not to joke with his teammates about her gambling skills, or lack thereof.

Abruptly, her smile vanished.

"Naruto!" she said sharply enough to make him cease his caterwauling and pay attention to her as she continued, "I want you to report to the hospital immediately. There is someone there who wants to see you."

"Who?" Naruto asked blankly.

Tsunade resisted the urge to drop-kick him to Suna.

"Who do you think, Naruto?" she growled.

Naruto's mouth dropped open as the pieces of the puzzle came together behind his brilliant sapphire eyes. He looked at her with disbelief.

"Sasuke? Sasuke wants to see me?" he asked.

She nodded and glanced at Tenzou. The ANBU made a hand sign and the wood around Naruto vanished. With a whoop, the blond leaped over Tsunade's desk and out the open window behind her. Tenzou readied himself to follow, a soft groan escaping his lips.

"That will be all, Tenzou. He won't be going anywhere but the hospital," Tsunade assured him.

Gratitude lit his dark eyes as he bowed.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama," he said.

The Hokage turned to look out the window. She could just barely make out Naruto's blond head as he raced along the rooftops toward the hospital. She could only hope that the two best friends would be able to work things out. If anyone deserved a happy ending, it was those two who had suffered so much in their short lives.

..

Sasuke heard feet pounding down the hall toward his room and knew that Naruto had arrived. To his surprise though, the blond did not burst through the door. Instead, his footsteps slowed and the door slid aside gently. Naruto poked his head inside, appearing almost hesitant.

"Tsunade-baachan said you wanted to see me," he said.

Sasuke drew himself up in the bed, the chains around his wrists clinking with the movement. He raised one hand and motioned for his former teammate to come inside. Naruto glanced back into the hallway, then stepped inside. He closed the door behind him as though he was shutting himself inside a den of snakes, just waiting for one of them to bite him.

"Sit down," Sasuke demanded.

Naruto approached the chair at his bedside and plopped down into it. His eyes searched Sasuke's face.

"You look better," he ventured after a moment.

Sasuke looked away, closing his eyes against sudden and unwanted tears.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I-I was such an idiot to leave Konoha. I was so blinded by hatred that I couldn't see that I had a new family here. Nothing turned out the way I thought it would," he whispered.

The blond shifted closer, placing a warm hand on Sasuke's shoulder. The Uchiha flinched, but Naruto pulled at him until they were at last facing each other. Sasuke didn't feel like such a weakling when he recognized tears in his best friend's eyes too.

"I forgive you," Naruto responded, "I'll never understand why you did it...but you will always have a home here because you belong in the place where people think of you. And Sakura-chan and I never forgot you, Sasuke. Never. Believe it!"

Despite the weight of the moment, Sasuke found himself chuckling.

"You've never changed, have you, dobe?" he asked.

Narto grinned, but tried to frown.

"Neither have you, teme!" he answered.

It was amazing how quickly they were able to fall back into their old friendship. Naruto lifted a fist to punch him in the shoulder, then froze as the door opened again. Hinata froze in the doorway, a bento box in her hands. Her lavender eyes moved back and forth between them. When she realized it was her crush sitting beside the bed, a blush colored her cheeks.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry! Excuse m-m-me," she stammered.

She never stuttered when she was alone with Sasuke. He glanced between the two of them, heart sinking a bit in realization. For the first time in his life, he didn't stand a fighting chance against his friend. The moment was ruined when Naruto leaned toward him and whispered loudly enough for Hinata to hear.

"She really weird," he said.

Hinata's blush darkened to one of shame. Sasuke smacked Naruto on the back of the head and spoke before she could flee.

"No she's not, dobe. She's in love with you and you're too thick-headed to notice it," he said.

"Sa-suke..." Hinata said faintly, leaning against the door frame for support.

She was going to die of embarrassment!

Naruto's eyes widened and he looked from his friend to the blushing nurse in confusion.

"Hinata-chan? You...you like me?" he asked.

She nodded. Naruto grinned and turned back to Sasuke.

"She likes me! A girl actually likes me," he said triumphantly, pointing a finger in Sasuke's face, "Take that, teme! You aren't the ladies' man you thought you were."

The Uchiha smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"But you don't have the faintest clue what to do with a girl," he responded.

The finger in his face dropped.

Sasuke lowered his voice and added, "Ask her to eat lunch with you."

Naruto brightened and bounced over to Hinata while the dark-haired missing-nin watched on. His smirk faded as the girl hesitantly agreed. With a promise from her to see him this evening and an ecstatic thumb's up from Naruto now that he was sure their friendship was restored, Sasuke was left alone with a bento box on his lap. He looked down at it, then pushed it aside. He wasn't hungry any more. Still, at least one of them should be happy. Naruto deserved a kind girl like Hinata.

"You know, you aren't the only one who has changed," Tsunade said.

Sasuke raised his head. He had not even noticed it when the Hokage reentered his room.

"My apprentice, Sakura...she's really grown up in the last three years. Maybe you should give her another chance. I guarantee that she will surprise you," she added.

Sasuke looked away. The next moment, the bento box was shoved in his face.

"Don't let Hinata's good food go to waste. And think about what I said while you eat," the Hokage demanded before leaving the room.

Sasuke scowled moodily, but ate the meal anyway. It was too good to waste, after all.

..

Kisame watched his partner with his white eyes, unable to hide the faint bit of worry in them. Hana had left him in charge while she showered, but she would not be pleased if she came back to this sight. He reached out as Itachi wobbled on his feet, but was waved off impatiently. Still, he could not help but hover like a mother hen as the elder Uchiha took his first hesitant steps in weeks. Itachi's face was still white as a sheet and the lines on either side of his nose were so dark that they looked painted on. He was breathing heavily only a few feet away from the bed and his legs were trembling.

"Haruno said you weren't to be up yet. The little Leaf would have my hide if she knew I was helping you disobey the medic's orders," Kisame said.

Itachi shot him a glare that was still potent enough to make the shark-nin's breath catch in his chest even though the Uchiha was still closer to death than life.

"What is it with you and Deidara giving Hana pet names?" he hissed, "And I know my limits better than that little girl does."

For all his venom though, he was practically no more than a little boy throwing a tantrum himself. Kisame could easily toss the smaller man over his shoulder and carry him back to bed. Itachi would just get up again the moment his back was turned, so instead he resolved to let the stubborn nin make his own mistakes. Kisame would simply try to make sure he didn't do too much damage to himself while making them.

"I am not your enemy, Itachi," he said as gently as he could.

The Uchiha's stern demeanor melted slightly.

"I am grateful to you for watching over us both, Kisame, but you cannot be content playing nursemaid," he stated, "I will...will understand..."

Itachi's eyelashes fluttered rapidly just before his knees gave out. Kisame scooped him up before he could hit the floor. He quickly carried the man back to bed and laid him down while his partner was still half-conscious.

"I'm not leaving, Itachi. At least not yet," he assured him.

Itachi was too proud to outright thank him, but Kisame imagined that he could see gratitude in his obsidian gaze. The door opened and Hana stepped inside, her hair still dripping from her shower. Kisame was immediately forgotten, not that he minded too much. With a toothy grin, he stepped back from the bedside to make room for the Inuzuka. She sat down beside Itachi who had already steadied his breathing, he noted. Even terribly ill, the Uchiha was good.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, reaching out to lay a hand on his forehead.

"Fine," Itachi said, intercepting her hand before she could feel the sweat from his exertions.

He brought it to his lips and kissed the tips of her calloused fingers. Her brown eyes softened with the force of her love. It still amazed Kisame to see such gentleness in his partner, not to mention actually seeing emotion in his gaze. He slipped from the room as quietly as he could. The door had just closed behind him when there was an explosion at the end of the hallway. He drew Samehada before he was even conscious of doing so, and fell into a defensive position. His eyes widened when Deidara practically fell through the opening. His clay bird exploded behind him to keep his pursuers from following. The blond's hair was disheveled and he was bleeding heavily from a deep wound across his chest. The wound looked like it had come from a scythe.

Kisame knew what the nin would say before he even opened his mouth.

"They've...found us," he panted.

Kakashi and Sakura spilled into the hallway from the room they were sharing, both ready for a fight. No doubt Hana was in the room behind him ready to sell her life dearly for Itachi's. But they were in no condition to take on the five remaining Akatsuki members. It was best to run now.

"Come on," he said, turning to Itachi's door.

There was a choking sound behind him and his heart froze in his chest. He turned quickly, but it seemed to take an agonizingly long time. Deidara's blue eyes were wide in shock. Slowly, he brought a hand up to his chest, where a wound had opened over his heart. More blood bubbled out of the wound, pooling on the floor beneath him.

Curse that Hidan!

Sakura gasped and stepped toward him, her outstretched hands already glowing with green chakra. Deidara gathered himself despite the mortal wound, his blue eyes lighting with fire. There was nothing a med-nin could do for him now. As it was, only sheer will was keeping him from succumbing to death. Blackness was already eating at the edges of his vision, but he forced it away.

"Go! I'll delay them, yeah," he managed.

He stripped off his ripped mesh shirt and ran a hand across his chest to wipe the blood away from the tattoo there. No more words needed to be said, even if there was time for them. Kisame entered Itachi's room and swept the weak Uchiha into his arms.

"What's going on?" Hana asked.

"We're running," Kisame said flatly.

One swipe of Samehada cleared a path through the wooden wall. He leaped through it and was soon followed by the three Konoha nin. They raced away from the once quiet village, pursued by the sounds of battle. Less than a minute after they had fled, a gigantic shock wave knocked them all off their feet. Kisame twisted in the air to land on his back, so as not to harm Itachi. He quickly scrambled back to his feet.

"No telling how many of them were caught in that. Let's go," he said.

Hana was the last to get back on her feet, tears filling her eyes. She knew without being told that Deidara would not be joining them. Kakashi urged her onward with a hand on her back. Itachi met her tearful gaze for a moment, but could not summon up any jealousy for the blond explosives expert. It was hard to hate a man who had sacrificed his life for yours.

..

Pein cautiously rose to his feet, surveying the smoking rubble around him. He walked forward until a crunch under his feet drew his attention downwards. It was a shattered mask, one of Kakuzu's, and apparently the only thing left of him. Over there was a shred of plant matter that might have once been Zetsu. And it looked like there were bits of Hidan scattered everywhere. The silver-haired Jashinist might be immortal, but he would have a hard time piecing thousands of fragments back together. It seemed Deidara had taken his revenge on the one responsible for his death. Pein's unusually colored eyes shifted to the side when he felt a presence from behind him. Of course she would have survived.

"The others?" a soft feminine voice asked.

He felt her hand brush his shoulder and leaned back into her touch.

"Gone. I knew Deidara had potential when Uchiha was sent after him, but I appear to have underestimated him. It's just you and I again, like old times," he responded.

"Where will they go?" she asked.

"Where else? Konoha."

Her fingers trailed down his arm until she could take his hand. He could feel her breath against his neck when she sighed.

"Konoha," she echoed, "Just like old times."

He turned to face Konan, reading the apprehension in her amber gaze. The paper flower in her blue hair was singed and smudges of soot partially covered her delicate face. He knew the source of her worry without her having to say a word. Going to Konoha might mean seeing Jiraiya again...might mean killing him. They owed the toad sage their lives, but Pein knew that she would follow his will regardless of her own feelings on the matter.

"Let's go," he said.

She hesitated then followed Pein, just as she always had.

* * *

First of all....IT'S NOT MY FAULT!! I was just writing madly under the influence of my muse and suddenly Deidara was dying. I'm still not quite sure how it happened and, since Deidara has been one of my favorite characters to write in this story, believe me when I say that this was totally not planned.

We're coming down to the wire now. I believe there will only be one more chapter, since I am using the last of the song lyrics in the next chapter. However, I also said a few chapters ago that the story was going to end in two chapters and that obviously hasn't happened. So we'll just have to see how it goes.

Questions for this chapter:

1. Has your opinion of Sasuke changed even slightly?

2. Do you think Deidara is really dead?

3. What could Pein be planning and why is he so intent on going after Itachi and Kisame, considering that Orochimaru defected from Akatsuki without being hunted down by them?

4. How in the world is the author planning on giving this story a happy ending?

You can answer all the questions, a few of the questions, or none of the questions. Just please review!! I'd really appreciate it. Thanks and hope you enjoyed the latest chapter.


	14. Let the World Crash

Sorry it's been so long since I updated, my dear readers. This semester has been utterly insane. I'm taking 17 credits, plus working two jobs, so I have not had much time, energy, or inspiration to write. However, recent events in the anime (-spoiler-Jiraiya's death, to be specific-end spoiler-) has gotten me inspired again. Stupid Kishimoto-sama making e cry over a character I didn't even like all that much...

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this latest installment of LtWC (and remember what the story is about!).

NOTICE: Contains spoilers about Pain's background. If you are not up to date in the anime, consider yourself warned.

Disclaimer: Naruto is property of Masashi Kishimoto. 'A Little More' is property of Skillet.

* * *

Let the World Crash

'_Oh, let the world crash,_

_Love can take it.'_

Chapter Fourteen

It was a new moon that night, so only the stars shed light over the sleeping village of Konoha. The shinobi guards prowling about the borders of the village never noticed the five figures who slipped over one remote section of the wall and into the village. The small group clung to the shadows as they snuck through the deserted streets, their goal the Hokage Tower.

"Looks like Tsunade is working late tonight," Kakashi murmured, nodding his silver head toward the lit window of the Hokage's office.

"Tsunade-shishou working this late?" Sakura echoed dubiously, "She probably sent Shizune home so she could get herself drunk without interference."

Itachi stirred from his position in Kisame's arms, his weary gaze meeting Hana's concerned one. If the Hokage was drunk, then that would make accomplishing their aim all the more difficult.

"Hatake-san, perhaps it would be best to forget this plan..." the Uchiha suggested.

"We've come too far to quit without trying," Kakashi responded.

"But my presence will only serve as a reminder to Sasuke of the past," Itachi said.

The silver-haired jounin finally took the time to look away from his destination and study the black-haired missing-nin. His single eye widened, then curved in a smile as he barely withheld a chuckle. So that was it. The mighty Uchiha Itachi was frightened. Not of the Hokage, or even the villagers and his fellow shinobi...but of his brother. The two had not seen each other since the fateful battle where the truth of the massacre had been revealed, after all.

"This village is enough to remind him of that. Itachi," he pointed out, "Well, I'm going in."

He gave a two fingered salute before his body flickered into motion, leaping upwards toward the Hokage's open window. To his satisfaction, the blonde Hokage was indeed seated at her desk slogging through a mountain of paperwork and not a bottle of sake.

Her warm brown eyes widened when she sensed his chakra and her head whipped around to spot him standing on the roof.

"Kakashi! Get in here," she demanded.

He complied, closing the window behind him before turning to face her. His mission, he knew, would fare better if she had to drag the information out of him. Tsunade did not disappoint.

"Well?" she demanded to know.

"The mission was a success," Kakashi reported with a satisfied crinkle of his single exposed eye.

The Hokage's fist twitched when he didn't add anything else after a moment. Kakashi noticed the movement and tried to subtly shift closer to the window for an easy escape route in case she started throwing things at his head. It wouldn't be the first time she had done so.

"And?" she prodded.

"He, Hana, and Hoshigaki Kisame are waiting outside with Sakura-chan," Kakashi said.

"WHAT?!" Tsunade shouted, rising to her feet and slamming her palms down on her desk.

The paper-laden piece of furniture creaked alarmingly.

"You brought them _here_?" a beat then, "_Sakura_ let you bring them here??"

"She was not told the truth...nor did I coerce her in any way," Kakashi added after seeing Tsunade's suspicious glance.

The Hokage was intrigued despite knowing that was what the Copy-Ninja wanted. After a moment, however, she sighed and sat back down.

"It's not going to work, Kakashi. Hana can be accepted back without much hassle as she has done nothing against this village, but Itachi...?" she trailed off, shaking her head.

Kakashi took a step forward, his single eye boring into hers.

"And just what has Itachi done against this village?" he asked intensely.

"He and Hoshigaki both tried to take Naruto," she said irritably.

Did she really have to spell it out for the jounin? But Kakashi was shaking his head.

"They did not succeed," he said.

Something in his voice made her wonder for the first time if that failure had perhaps been intentional of the Uchiha's part. She shook that thought away.

"The massacre then!" she exclaimed.

"You and I both know that what he did was under orders from the Sandaime Hokage," Kakashi said lowly.

"Are you suggesting that I tell the whole village the truth then? Sarutobi sacrificed his life to keep this village safe, but if i do as you're suggesting, then all they will remember is that he authorized the destruction of an entire clan by one of their own. I won't see that happen to my teacher's memory," Tsunade growled.

Kakashi turned away, his single visible eye sad.

"Then you will make the living suffer for the sake of the dead," he stated.

Tsunade bristled with anger.

"Don't start with me, Hatake! You are the one who has done nothing but try to kill yourself out of a misplaced sense of guilt over Uchiha Obito's death," she hissed.

Kakashi froze. It was true that, even all these years later, his actions were motivated in a large part by his old comrade--his habitual tardiness and his devotion to his team to name only a few. He suspected that the residual guilt he felt over the part he had played in his best friend's death had played a large role in his ability to awaken his own Mangekyou Sharingan. But try to kill himself because of that? His eye narrowed, mask hiding the way his lips had pressed tightly together in anger.

"This is not about me," he growled.

"Then do not try to make it about me, either, Hatake Kakashi. This is about Konoha and its citizens, and I do not believe it is best for them to allow the elder Uchiha back. If you keep them out of sight, then they can stay and rest for a few days. But then I want them gone," she stated.

Kakashi vanished with a poof of smoke. He reappeared next to the small group, his defeated slouch telling them of the results of his meeting more eloquently than his words ever could.

Sakura glanced from her frustrated sensei to Kisame. The shark-like nin shrugged in response to her questioning glance.

"Knew better than to get my hopes up," he said pragmatically.

Her eyes dropped next to Itachi. His expression was closed off, aristocratic features composed once again in the Uchiha mask. However, after days of watching his open affection for Hana, the sudden return to being stoic told her more than he would have liked. As for the Inuzuka...the brown-haired woman looked crushed. She should also have known better, but despite that had been unable to keep herself from getting her hopes up.

"She said she would take Hana back," Kakashi said softly.

Now everyone was looking at the brown-haired woman

"Hana?" Itachi whispered.

She forced a laugh, but when she looked over at the Uchiha, her strained expression truly softened. She reached out taking his hand.

"I told you already, Ita-kun. I don't belong here anymore. I belong with you," she said.

He returned her smile with a tiny one of his own, the tension leaving his weakened body as it was replaced by a surge of relief. Sakura officially could not take it any more.

"It's not fair! You shouldn't have to spend the rest of your lives on the run from hunter-nin. That's no way to raise children!" she exclaimed angrily, "I'n going to go try to talk to Tsunade-shishou."

"Children?" Hana echoed faintly.

Kakashi shook his head, watching his irate student stalk away. He did not want to be around to watch those two indomitable women going at it. Not when super-strength would no doubt also be involved.

"Let's go. We do have permission to let you regain your strength before moving on," he said, leading them in the direction of his apartment. It was going to be a cramped few days having four people living in the small space.

"Children?" Hana repeated.

Her brown eyes were fixed on the side of Itachi's face, but he was doing an admirable job avoiding her gaze. Thankfully, the darkness of the night hid the faint blush which had crept across his high cheekbones. However, he and Hana both knew that, if he had not outright denied the idea then it was one he had been considering. The realization made Hana blush as well. Having Uchiha Itachi's children...

"Come along, little Leaf," Kisame said in his deep voice, chuckling as he walked after Kakashi.

None of them had any idea that events were soon to be swept out of their hands.

.oOo.

"Ano...Sakura-san?" the pink-haired medic looked up upon hearing the timid voice.

She smiled at the sight of Hinata, some of the left over frustration from her confrontation with her shishou last night ebbing away. She pushed aside her paperwork and motioned for the girl to come in.

"What is it, Hinata-chan?" she asked.

"I know you don't typically do patient checks anymore...but I have one patient that needs special attention and I have to leave early today for a date, so I was wondering if you would mind checking on him for me?" the other girl said quickly, running sentences together in her nervousness.

Sakura gaped at the shy kunoichi.

"You have a date?!" she said.

"Yes...with Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered, blushing.

"That's great!" Sakura exclaimed with a grin, standing up to hug the other girl, "I can't believe that he finally noticed you. I'll definitely take on that patient for you."

"He's in room 257, and this bento is for him since he won't eat hospital food," Hinata said as she set a small box on the corner of Sakura's desk, "Thank you!"

The pink-haired medic jotted down the room number so she would not forget, casting one glance after the Hyuuga heiress as she left the office. Had she not been entirely certain that Hinata was completely incapable of scheming, she would have been certain that there had been a smirk of triumph upon the lavender-eyed kunoichi's lips as she closed the door behind her. But this was Hinata, so she pushed the flicker of suspicion out of her mind and returned to her paperwork.

Time slipped away from her and it was already dark by the time she looked up to stretch and saw the forlorn box on the edge of her desk. She had completely forgotten about Hinata's patient! Rising to her feet, she quickly snatched up the bento and went racing down the hallway. Several minutes and a flight of stairs later, she burst through the door to room 257. She was panting for breath and her short hair was all disheveled as she bowed toward the single bed and its occupant.

"I apologize for my lateness!" she exclaimed, feeling like a bumbling first-year medic again.

"Sakura," the bed's occupant said softly and she suddenly felt even younger.

Her head shot up, wide green eyes locking with Sasuke's amused onyx stare. Caught in that look, she felt twelve and helpless--and utterly smitten--all over again.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered.

How was it possible for him to be even more handsome than she remembered? Though...he did look eerily similar to his older brother, she noted, although his features were cast from a slightly more delicate mold than the sharp lines of Itachi's face.

"Where is Hinata?" Sasuke asked, snapping her from her trance.

"She's on a date with Naruto, but she gave me this for you," she said, stepping forward and holding the bento out to him.

He took it eagerly.

"Good. Her cooking is much better than the hospital slop," he said, breaking the chopsticks and starting to eat hungrily.

Because she absolutely refused to stare at him while he ate like she was still that naive, love-sick little girl, Sakura instead went to the foot of the bed and picked up his chart. She paged through it, scanning the improvement in his stats.

"You seem to be doing a lot better," she said.

Sasuke had been taking advantage of her distraction to study her, recalling Tsunade's words to him. He could tell from the way she had reacted to the sigh of him that she still had feelings for him. Yet the way she had moved past it to focus on her job also showed that she had matured. He quickly returned his attention to his food when she spoke.

"Hinata has really helped," he agreed before taking another bite.

Sakura felt a vein in her forehead twitch as the clipboard in her fingertips groaned under the pressure she was exerting on it. She had mentioned that Hinata was on a _date_ with _Naruto_, right? No, she was not going to do this again. Itachi had asked her to give Sasuke a second chance, but she refused to throw herself at him the way she used to when they were younger.

"Well, Hinata will be in again in the morning. Have a good night, Sasuke-ku...Sasuke," she corrected herself, setting the clipboard back in place and turning to leave.

The Uchiha set down his chopsticks, dark eyes widening slightly at his opportunity to get reacquainted with Sakura slipping through his fingers.

"Wait...aren't you supposed to check my vitals?" he asked.

She actually glared at him before stalking deliberately back to his bedside. His chains rattled as he lifted his hands to unbutton the top few buttons of his hospital gown. Though her gaze remained professional, he was pleased to note that her calloused hand trembled as she reached it toward him. She set it gently over his heart, the green glow of medical chakra quickly surrounding her fingertips. She pushed it into him and he felt the sensation of tickling warmth as she probed. After a moment, she pulled it back into her. Sasuke almost missed the warmth. He caught hold of her wrist before she could remove it.

"Sakura...I'm...sorry. I was an idiot," he admitted quietly.

She stared at him in utter shock, green eyes wide. He softened his grasp on her, but continued to hold her gaze. Hinata had gotten him this chance. He was no going to let it slip away. He was opening his mouth to add something when she beat him to it.

"Say that again," she said.

Sasuke blinked and repeated, "I'm...sorry?"

"The second part," Sakura clarified, a rather good imitation of his own smirk crossing her lips.

It was the former missing nin's turn to scowl at her.

"I was an idiot," he said grudgingly, "Can you forgive me?"

Her smirk softened to a hesitant smile before she managed a small nod. He had to really mean it in order for him to put up with her teasing like he had.

"I can do that," she told him, pulling away and going to the clipboard to write in her observations.

It wouldn't be easy for them after the way he had treated her three years ago, but this was a start. They would have to see where their relationship would go from here.

.oOo.

The next dawn, the sun rose upon two motionless figures standing before the massive open gates of Konoha. The two chuunin guards jumped in fear as both figures released their chakra, which they had been keeping suppressed to avoid early detection. Izumo was the first to recover, stepping out from behind the desk to confront the Akatsuki members. While they were matched in numbers, two against two, all four knew that the gatekeepers were so outmatched in power and ability that it was laughable.

"What do you want here?" Izumo demanded of the black-cloaked nin.

Pein tilted his head, the strips of cloth hanging from his bamboo hat sliding across his face to reveal his eyes. Before he could stop himself, Izumo took a step backwards at the sheer intensity of that strange purple gaze.

"I desire to speak to your Hokage," Pein stated.

Izumo glanced over at his partner Kotetsu, who nodded and vanished in a poof of smoke. He turned back to the two Akatsuki.

"She is being informed of your presence. Please wait here," he said.

If they wanted to enter Konoha, though, there wasn't really much he could do to stop them. Thankfully, Pein only nodded and tucked his hands together within the sleeves of his cloak. Beside him, it was all Konan could do not to shift uneasily. They could both feel the chakra signatures converging upon the gate. It felt like every member of Konoha's ANBU was being called out to face them. Though there was no sign...

There it was. Jiraiya's distinctive chakra signature was finally approaching, along with a similarly powerful one which must be that of his former teammate and current Hokage. Sure enough, the white-haired sannin soon came into sight at Tsunade's side. Behind them was an old man and an old woman, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu. Both councilors were scowling darkly. At the very rear of the group was Danzou, his lined face impassive.

The massive concentration of ANBU operatives which had gotten into place before their Hokage appeared remained in hiding, knowing full well that the S-class missing nin would surely be able to sense their presence and hopefully take it as the warning it was meant to be. If they tried to attack Tsunade, then the two Akatsuki would pay dearly for it.

Pein waited until the delegation had halted on the other side of the gates, only a few feet of empty space separating them. He slowly reached up and pulled off his hat, hearing a rustle beside him as Konan did the same. His eyes, however, remained fixed on Jiraiya. He watched the sannin's dark eyes widen, flickering back and forth between them.

"Konan...Nagato," he said softly.

Tsunade's head snapped toward the man beside her, wide amber eyes clearly showing she recognized the names of Jiraiya's former students. Her gaze quickly returned to the two Akatsuki, even more wary than it had been before.

"...I heard a rumor you had been killed," Jiraiya added.

"Not yet," Pein responded blandly. He paused, eyes shifting to Tsunade as he got down to business, "Your village has something I want."

The busty blonde stiffened. Ignoring her councilors, she snapped, "We are never going to hand Naruto over to you."

Pein restrained a smirk, keeping his face expressionless.

"I want Inuzuka Hana," he said.

He watched as dumbfounded looks crossed each of their faces. It was Danzou who spoke next, smug satisfaction in his voice at the knowledge that Hana was a pawn who could be sacrificed to keep the Akatsuki happy, while the Hokage dared put their village in danger by refusing to give up the Uumaki brat.

"Inuzuka Hana has become a missing-nin. You will not find her here," he said.

Pein could not hold back his smirk then, his gaze knowing as it rested on Tsunade.

"Is that so?" he asked.

Tsunade's hands clenched into fists as she glared at him, drawing curious looks from all those about her. Ah...so not even her old teammate knew she had given the fugitives temporary asylum.

"Izumo!" she barked, her eyes not leaving Pein's face.

The startled chuunin turned to face her.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" he asked.

"Go tell Hatake Kakashi to bring his guests here," Tsunade said.

"Y-yes, Hokage-sama," Izumo stammered, confused but hurrying off to obey her orders anyway.

The group surrounding the Hokage burst into furious whispers as they waited. Her councilors were clearly unhappy with Tsunade and expressing that view forcefully. That was why Pein had made certain his village regarded him as a god. There was no questioning the demands of a deity, after all. He glanced once in the direction the chuunin had scurried off to, then settled back to wait. Konan's reassuring presence remained close by his side.

Everything was going according to plan.

* * *

Dun dun dun! Sorry, couldn't resist adding sound effects. :) Can't promise when the next chapter will be up, but hopefully it will be soon.

Questions for this chapter:

1. Do you think Tsunade should have sacrificed the Sandaime Hokage's reputation by telling the truth about the Uchiha massacre so that Itachi could rejoin the village?

2. Any ideas on how this story could end? Pein-sama is not telling me his evil plan to save the world (10 points to whoever gets the song reference), so your ideas could have an impact on the way this story wraps up!

Review Responses:

**Dragon Jadefire:** I have no idea what OTP stands for either. Anybody else able to inform us clueless people?

**RozenMaiden14:** I really hope you didn't cry for Deidara until this update. That would be a long time to be crying!

**KibaCanLickMe:** You are a genius. It did indeed turn out to be too much to fit into one chapter, so I am hoping for just one more chapter. But we'll see...

Thanks to **Misaki Kasumi**, **baby-dr3a**, **Rising Twin Dragons, Tamar, Cheese Maiden, NeverGoodbyeRoxas**, **Rokhi**,and **oxygen deprived.** I hope you guys are al still reading and enjoying it. And I'm glad more people like Sasuke-kun after the last chapter! I hope you continue to like him after this one. ;)

As always, please leave me a review to let me know what's on your mind!


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